A study on cross-flow ultrafiltration with various membrane orientations

[[abstract]]In this study, the flux behavior of an-inclined flat-membrane cross-flow ultrafiltration was investigated. The experiment was conducted using a cellulose ester membrane (10,000 MWCO) and dextran T500 as the test solution. The membrane inclination included 0° (flow above membrane), 90° (vertical membrane), and 180° (flow below membrane). Experimental results showed that raising the cross-flow velocity increased the permeate flux and the time required to reach a steady state was also shortened. The effect of inclination on the flux enhancement is significant when the conventional ultrafiltration is operated at a low liquid flow rate. In two-phase flow ultrafiltration, the introduction of gas enhances the permeate flux even at a high liquid flow rate and the influence of gas sparging is particularly prominent as the membrane is installed at 180° orientation. Under the present operating conditions, the filtration flux is maximum at 180° and minimum at 0° inclination.[[incitationindex]]SCI[[incitationindex]]EI[[booktype]]紙