The new concept of flux enhancement during cell separation with MF/UF processes

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 381-386
Author(s):  
A. Kołtuniewicz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Separation ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Flux Enhancement ◽  
Flow Systems

The microfiltration and ultrafiltration processes are considered as matured membrane processes that are well established in industrial practice. Nevertheless, the main obstacles of their further development in the new competitive implementations are the economical problems. The key economic factors are permeate flux and energy consumption. However, although the cross-flow systems enable us to attain higher flux, it is usually very expensive. The high energy is consumed to maintain circulation velocity of the retentate that is sufficient for sweeping out the retained component from the membrane surface. Moreover in the case of cells separation the high intensity of the fouling and low cake permeability makes it necessary to apply additional efforts, such as backflushing, backpulsing, promoters of turbulence, vibrations, ultrasounds and many other. Therefore, dead-end systems are still quite competitive with cross-flow, especially for diluted (less than 0.5% of dry mass) suspensions or solutions. Cell separation with membranes is one of the most vivid problems for modern biotechnology, wastewater and water treatment. Membranes offer mild process conditions and high selectivity of separation. This enables us to solve a variety of problems such as cell culturing, fractionation, concentration, purification and sterilisation. The selected cells may be precisely separated from other components of broth and subsequently directed into the reaction space again in good conditions to ensure a quasi-continuous mode of operation. Moreover, membranes enable us to attain high efficiency of the bioconversion by removal of all product and inhibitors directly from the bioreactor. This is the reason for the huge interest in cell separation with membranes. The idea of the paper was to present the new concept of flux enhancement for cell separation on membranes. This concept lies in taking advantage of the specific rheological nature of biopolymers, which are the main foulants. The biopolymers retained on the membrane surface (i.e. on the top layer) can be applied as a lubricant for the cells that can settle on such a ‘movable layer’. As is shown, further in the paper, the thickness of the moving layer is lower and the flux is greater. The common movement of the cells and gel layer is very convenient from the cells integrity point of view. However the hydrodynamic conditions always play an important role in cross-flow systems; the resistance of ultrafiltration membranes may be reduced much more when compared with more open microfiltration membranes.

scholarly journals Flux enhancement by air dispersion in cross-flow microfiltration of a colloidal system through spiral wound module

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-469
Keyword(s):  
Colloidal Suspension ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Flux Enhancement ◽  
Suspension Systems ◽  
Air Dispersion ◽  
Cake Layer ◽  
Layer Resistance ◽  
Spiral Wound

Enhancement of the permeate flux due to reduction of cake layer resistance by air-liquid twophase flow in a cross flow spiral wound microfiltration membrane has been investigated. Experiments were carried out with two different suspension systems, namely baker’s yeast suspension with a dry mass concentration of 5.4 kg m-3 and the colloidal suspension of starch and bacteria having a dry mass concentration of 3.41 kg m-3. An air-liquid two-phase flow was generated by injecting the air at the inlet of the membrane module and was fed into a horizontally mounted assembly of a spiral wound microfiltration membrane. The effect of air dispersion was studied on flux enhancement, specific cake layer resistance and loading of cake mass on the membrane surface. This study shows that by air dispersion, the permeate flux can be enhanced up to 60 percent for the colloidal suspension of starch and bacteria while a flux enhancement of 40 percent was achieved for yeast suspension. The specific cake layer resistance reduced by a factor of 10 for both of the suspensions when air was injected into the feed stream. The results of this study depict that the technique of air dispersion is effective in increasing the permeate flux for the suspension systems containing below and above micron sized particulates.

scholarly journals Designing of Membrane Contactors with Cross-Counter Current Flow

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-583
Author(s):  
Andrzej B. Kołtuniewicz ◽  
Szymon Modelski ◽  
Anna Witek
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Surface Renewal ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
New Type ◽  
Membrane Contactors ◽  
Counter Current

The knowledge about membrane contactors is growing rapidly but is still insufficient for a reliable designing. This paper presents a new type of membrane contactors that are integrated with one of the following ways of separation by using absorbents, micelles, flocculants, functionalized polymers, molecular imprints, or other methods that are based on aggregation. The article discusses methods for designing multi-stage cascade, usually counter-current. At every stage of this cascade, relevant aggregates are retained by the membrane, while the permeate passes freely through membrane. The process takes place in the membrane boundary layer with a local cross-flow of the permeate and the retentate. So the whole system can be called a cross-counter-current. The process kinetics, k, must be coordinated with the permeate flux, J, and the rate of surface renewal of the sorbent on the membrane surface, s. This can be done by using ordinary back-flushing or relevant hydrodynamic method of sweeping, such as: turbulences, shear stresses or lifting forces. A surface renewal model has been applied to adjust the optimal process conditions to sorbent kinetics. The experimental results confirmed the correctness of the model and its suitability for design of the new type of contactors.

scholarly journals Effect of on the Membrane Distillation of PVDF Membrane Material Enhanced by Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flux Enhancement ◽  
Membrane Performance ◽  
Flux Decline ◽  
Sweeping Gas

This study investigates the membrane performance and fouling control in the bubble-assisted sweeping gas membrane distillation with high concentration saline (333 K saturated solution) as feed. The results show that longer bubbling interval (3 min) at a fixed bubbling duration of 30s can most efficiently increase the the flux enhancement ratio up to 1.518. Next, the flux increases with the gas flowrate under a relatively lower level, but tends to a plateau after the threshold level (1.2 L•min-1). Compared to non-bubbling case, the permeate flux reaches up to 1.623 fold at a higher bubble relative humidity of 80 %. It was also found that greater flux enhancement can be achieved and meanwhile dramatic flux decline can be delayed for an intermittent bubbling system with a smaller nozzle size. These results accord well with the observations of fouling deposition in situ on the membrane surface with SEM.

Numerical Simulation of Filtration of Charged Oil Particles in Stationary and Rotating Tubular Membranes

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Jahangiri Mamouri ◽  
Volodymyr V. Tarabara ◽  
André Bénard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Potential ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Solid Cylinder ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Cross Flow Filtration ◽  
Flow Filtration

Cross flow filtration (CFF) is a common membrane separation process with applications in food, biochemical and petroleum industries. In particular, membranes can be used for liquid-liquid separation processes such as needed in oil-water separation. A major challenge in cross flow filtration is membrane fouling. It can decrease significantly the permeate flux and a membrane’s efficiency. Membrane fouling can be mitigated by inducing shear on the membrane’s surface and this can be enhanced by inducing a swirl in the flow. In addition, a possible approach to improve membrane efficiency consists of repelling droplets/particles from the porous surface toward the centerline using a repulsive electric force. For this purpose, the surface of the membrane can be exposed to electric potential and droplets/particles are also induced to have the same electric charge. In this work, numerical simulations of charged non-deformable droplets moving within an axially rotating charged tubular membrane are performed. The results show that by increasing the electric potential on the membrane surface, the repelling force increases which obviously improves the grade efficiency of the membrane. However, the electric field gradients found in the flow field require large potentials on the membrane surface to observe a noticeable effect. Hence, a smaller solid cylinder is located in the centerline of the flow channel with zero potential. This solid cylinder enhances the electric field gradient in the domain which results in higher repelling forces and larger grade efficiency of the membrane at small potentials. The addition of a small cylinder in the flow field also improves the grade efficiency increases due to the higher shear stress near the membrane surface.

scholarly journals Membrane surface properties and their effects on real waste oil-in-water emulsion ultrafiltration

Water SA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3 July) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjana Simonič
Keyword(s):  
Surface Properties ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Chemical Cleaning ◽  
Water Emulsion ◽  
Oil In Water ◽  
Oil In Water Emulsion

Membrane surface properties and their effect on the efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) of real waste oily emulsions was studied. Experiments were performed in cross-flow operation at total recycle condition in a lab-scale system. The ceramic UF membrane in the tubular type module was employed. During the experiments permeate flux was measured. The most important influential factors, such as temperature, TMP, and pH, were considered during the experiments. Zeta potential was measured in order to explain the phenomena on the membrane surface. The isoelectric point of the fouled membrane was shifted to the alkaline range. COD removal efficiency reached 89%. Gas chromatography measurements were performed in order to determine the composition of waste emulsions. SEM micrographs showed the formation of calcite on the membrane, which contributed to membrane fouling. Chemical cleaning was examined using alkaline and acid solutions, and a cleaning strategy was determined.

Ceramic Cross-Flow Microfiltration in the Presence of Inserts

1997 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1879-1887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Mikulášek ◽  
Jiří Cakl ◽  
Zbyněk Petráš
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Metal Working ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Tube System ◽  
Oil Emulsion ◽  
Steady State Flux ◽  
Empty Tube ◽  
And Migration

The influence of inserts with various configurations on permeate flux through a tubular ceramic microfiltration membrane was studied. The commercial metal-working oil emulsion was used in the experiments. A more extensive study of the effect of shear rate on permeate flux was made by comparing the steady-state flux of the empty tube system and the system with inserts. The cross-flow microfiltration with inserts was found to be simple and effective. Analysing experimental results, it was concluded that the introduction of inserts, irrespective of their configurations, resulted in a significant increase in permeate flux compared with results obtained in the empty tube system. The interruption of formation of a boundary layer by the inserts is attributed to mixing and migration of rejected particles from the membrane surface.

scholarly journals DETERMINATION OF FOULING MECHANISM IN ULTRAFILTRATION OF ELECTROPLATING WASTEWATER

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (3-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danu Ariono ◽  
Anita Kusuma Wardani ◽  
Putu Teta Prihartini Aryanti ◽  
Ahmad Nurul Hakim ◽  
I Gede Wenten
Keyword(s):  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Filtration Time ◽  
Electroplating Wastewater ◽  
Fouling Mechanism ◽  
Cross Flow Velocity

Wastewater from electroplating industries is usually contaminated with high concentration of hazardous materials, such as nickel, copper, and chromium. Therefore, the electroplating wastewater is one of the environmental problems that require a novel solution to reduce risks for human and environment. Ultrafiltration is a promising technology to overcome this problem due to its ability to reject all suspended solids. However, membrane fouling still becomes a major obstacle in ultrafiltration processes. Fouling reduces the permeate flux and increases membrane operational costs due to membrane cleaning. In this work, fouling mechanism that occurred in polyacrylonitrile based ultrafiltration for electroplating wastewater treatment was investigated. The effects of trans-membrane pressure (TMP) and cross flow velocity on fouling mechanism were also studied. The results showed that in the first 20 minutes, intermediate blocking was occurred on the membrane surface, while cake formation was happened for the rest of filtration time. These results were applied for all TMP and cross flow velocity.

Removal of Humic Substances by UF and NF Membrane Systems

1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rulin Bian ◽  
Yoshimasa Watanabe ◽  
Norihito Tambo ◽  
Genzo Ozawa
Keyword(s):  
Humic Substances ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Molecular Size ◽  
Bulk Water ◽  
Flow Mode ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Strong Shear ◽  
Uf Membranes

This paper deals with the removal efficiency and mechanisms of humic substances contained in a river water by ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. UF membranes with molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 50 kDa to 200 kDa can remove only large molecular size humic substances (LMSHS). Even in the UF membranes operated under the cross-flow mode, the LMSHS were accumulated on the membrane surface, because the back transport velocity of LMSHS is always smaller than that of the permeate flux. Precoagulation enhanced the removal of humic substances effectively. The optimum coagulation conditions for removing the humic substances in the UF membranes was the same as that in the conventional coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation process. The vibration action increased the removal efficiency of humic substances in the NF membrane process. Strong shear produced by the vibration diffused away the humic substances from the membrane surface to the bulk water, therefore the accumulation of humic substances on/near the membrane surface, i.e. formation of cake and concentration polarization boundary layers, is prohibited.

Formation and prevention of hardly removable particle layers in inside-out capillary membranes operating in dead-end mode

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Panglisch
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Membrane Resistance ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
Dead End ◽  
Capillary Membrane ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Capillary Membranes ◽  
Geometrical Boundary

Although numerous ultra- and microfiltration dead-end plants with capillary membranes are already operative, some phenomena are still unexplained. Therefore, the fundamental processes taking place inside a capillary membrane were observed. Initially, the flow field depending on axial and radial position inside the capillary was determined. Then, particle transport and deposition were theoretically studied by determination of particle trajectories considering influences of particle concentration and walleffects on hydrodynamics, DLVO-forces, buoyancy, gravitation, diffusion and interparticular forces. Following these calculations, incoming particles with a diameter smaller than the so-called “limiting diameter”, which depends on operational and geometrical boundary conditions, due to depositions are widely and evenly distributed. Larger particles do not deposit until they are at a certain distance from the water inlet. The larger the particle size, the longer the distance. If the particle is larger than the so-called “corkforming diameter” then the particles are transported to the dead-end of the capillary which may cause a clogging of the capillary. This “corkforming diameter” depends on operational as well on geometrical boundary conditions. These theoretical predictions are confirmed by experimental results from investigations with spherical latex and non-spherical walnut particles. To avoid this clogging, the deposition of the particles should be evenly distributed, which means that the “corkforming diameter” should be as large as possible. That goal could be achieved by operating the membrane plant with short and/or wide capillaries. However, a small permeate flux, a small membrane resistance and/or a small membrane surface potential succeed as well. Another possibility could be to operate the capillaries with a very small cross flow.

scholarly journals Effect of bubble characteristics and nozzle size on the membrane distillation enhanced by gas–liquid two-phase flow

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-300
Author(s):  
Dashuai Zhang ◽  
Xiaopeng Zhang ◽  
Li Chen ◽  
Wang Lili ◽  
Wu Di ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Permeate Flux ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flux Enhancement ◽  
Nozzle Size ◽  
Sweeping Gas

Abstract This study investigates the membrane performance and fouling control in bubble-assisted sweeping gas membrane distillation with high concentration saline (333 K saturated solution) as feed. The results show that a longer bubbling interval (3 min) at a fixed bubbling duration of 30 s can most efficiently increase the flux enhancement ratio up to 1.518. Next, the flux increases with the gas flow rate under a relatively lower level, but tends to plateau after the threshold level (1.2 L·min−1). Compared to the non-bubbling case, the permeate flux reaches up to 1.623-fold at a higher bubble relative humidity of 80%. It was also found that greater flux enhancement can be achieved and, meanwhile, dramatic flux decline can be delayed for an intermittent bubbling system with a smaller nozzle size. These results accord well with the observations of fouling deposition in situ on the membrane surface with scanning electron microscope (SEM).

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