Mass and momentum transfer in hollow fibre blood oxygenators

Mass transfer and friction factor correlations for microporous hollow fibre blood oxygenators (BOs) have been determined experimentally. Water and glycerol water solutions were used as a substitute for blood. The diffusion of oxygen into and out of water and glycerol water solutions has been studied. The liquid stream flowed outside and across bundles of woven hollow fibres while the gas stream flowed inside the fibres. In previous studies, it has been assumed that the Sherwood number varies with the one-third power of the Schmidt number. By conducting experiments using various glycerol water mixtures the kinematic viscosity of the liquid and the diffusivity of oxygen in the liquid phase have been varied. The results obtained here experimentally confirm the dependence of the Sherwood number on the Schmidt number raised to the one-third power. The experimental mass transfer and friction factor results for hollow fibre BOs are compared to the j factor analysis presented by Chilton and Colburn. These results may be used to further optimize the design of BOs.