Wave-generating ceramic membranes: Radial permeation drives axial waves for enhanced mass transfer in falling-film contactors

Amine-based CO 2 capture is hindered by energy-intensive solvent regeneration (>120 °C). Here, we propose a falling-film hydrophilic ceramic membrane contactor to address efficiency-scalability trade-offs in conventional hydrophobic systems. This design eliminates pore-level mass transfer barriers while maximizing interfacial contact. However, quantitative predictions of permeation-coupled falling film dynamics remain underdeveloped, hindering scale-up. This work addressing three critical gaps: (1) Mechanistic modeling of falling film dynamics under permeation, (2) microscale analysis of permeation-falling film coupling transport characteristics, and (3) prediction correlation using dimensionless parameters ( Re , We , Sh ) linking micro-macro transport. A multiphysics framework combining 2D phase-field simulations (validated experimentally, residual deviation < 3.1 %) outperforms 1D models (errors 14.5–31.7 %). High-fidelity 2D simulations reveal that radial permeation significantly induces axial film heterogeneity and enhances interfacial wave dynamics. The derived Re - We - Sh engineering correlation ( R 2  = 0.98) demonstrates a prediction accuracy. This model creates a bi-directional framework: it both explains observed industrial performance through first-principles mechanisms and predicts optimal operating conditions for sustainable solvent regeneration.