A numerical model for the performance assessment of hydrophobic meshes used for oil spill recovery

摘要

Highlights?A model is proposed for oil-water separation with hydrophobic meshes.?The model is based on two-phase flow in porous media.?Oil recovery and water breakthrough depend strongly on the fluid column height.?Mesh materials and dimensions also affect wettability and oil recovery efficiency.?A mesh performance curve can be used for industrial designing purposes.AbstractAccidental oil spills in the ocean have a big impact on aquatic environments and human activities, and one of the most promising clean-up techniques is the use of hydrophobic and oleophilic meshes. It is important to understand the underlying physics of these meshes and their behavior under different conditions. Here, a mesh is conceptualized as an equivalent porous medium w