Retention in blackflushed cross-flow microfiltration

Abstract

Crossflow microfiltration with rapid membrane backflushing has been investigated to quantify and optimize the effects of backflushing on the solute retention under varying operating conditions. Experiments were performed on asymmetric, multilayered, ceramic membranes with the mean pore diameter of active layer equal to 0.1 um. The feeds were the commercial emulsifer stabilized metal-working oil emulsion and the aqueous solutions of the anionic emulsifier itself. The basic mechanism which affects the solute retention has been found and described. In addition, staring theoretical relationships describing the process are presented and discussed. The results demostrate that rapid membrane backflushing is a useful tool for increasing the emulsifier transmission.