Dr Gustavo A. Fimbres Weihs

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Contact Information: Room 401B, Petroleum Engineering Bldg School of Petroleum Engineering The University of New South Wales UNSW Sydney, 2052, Australia Tel: +61-2-9385 5123 Fax: +61-2-9385 5936 E-mail: click here

Profile:

• PhD, Chemical Engineering (2003 - 2008) University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
• B.E., Chemical Engineering & Environmental Systems (1998 - 2002) Tecnologico de Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

• Researcher (2009-present) CO2CRC, School of Petroleum Engineering, UNSW
• Research Associate (2008-present) UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology, UNSW
• Tutor (2003-present) School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, UNSW
• Research Assistant (2002) Tecnologico de Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
• Research Assistant (2001) Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

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Research Interests:

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a technique that allows simulation and subsequent analysis of fluid systems by solving conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy using numerical methods.

This research aims to use CFD to analyse the dynamics of fluid flow and mass transfer in narrow spacer filled channels, such as those encountered in spiral wound membrane modules. It also intends to assess the effect of the different operational parameters on the flow regimes and performance of membrane separation units.

A number of membrane transport models with increasing level of complexity are gradually being incorporated into a commercial CFD package (ANSYS-CFX). Subsequently, the effect of changes in operation conditions will be simulated, and their effect on the concentration profiles, velocity distribution and membrane performance, among other variables, will be analysed. Although initially only two-dimensional flows are considered, this work is also planned to be extended to three-dimensional flows.

• Prof Dianne E. Wiley

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Selected Publications:

• Fimbres-Weihs, G.A.; Wiley, D.E.; Fletcher, D.F., Unsteady Flows with Mass Transfer in Narrow Zigzag Spacer-Filled Channels: A Numerical Study. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 45 (2006), 6594-6603.
• Fimbres-Weihs, G.A. and Wiley, D.E., Numerical Study of Mass Transfer in Three-Dimensional Spacer-Filled Narrow Channels with Steady Flow. J. Membr. Sci. 306 (2007), 228-243.
• Fimbres-Weihs, G.A. and Wiley, D.E., Numerical study of two-dimensional multi-layer spacer designs for minimum drag and maximum mass transfer, J. Membr. Sci. 325 (2008), 809–822.

• Fimbres-Weihs, G.A.; Wiley, D.E., Three-Dimensional Spacer-Filled Narrow Channels with Steady Flow, 6th International Membrane Science and Technology Conference (IMSTEC) 2007, Sydney, Australia, November 5-9, 2007
• Fimbres-Weihs, G.A.; Wiley, D.E., Unsteady Flows with Mass Transfer in Narrow Spacer-Filled Channels: A Numerical Study, International Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes (ICOM) 2005, Seoul, Korea, August 21-26, 2005

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