CROSS FLOW FILTRATION

PANDRANKI CHAITANYA SIVA PRASAD THALLA ROHIT

What is filtration? It is the process of separating extremely small particles and dissolved molecules from fluids.
The two important filtration processes are 1. Conventional filtration 2. Cross flow filtration

Dead-end filtration
The most basic form of filtration is dead-end filtration.

The complete feed flow is forced through the membrane and the filtered matter is accumulated on the surface of the membrane.

1.The dead-end filtration is a batch process as accumulated matter on the filter decreases the filtration capacity, due to clogging.

2.CROSS FLOW FILTRATION

In cross low filtration the feed is passed across the filter membrane(tangentially) at positive pressure relative to the permeate side. A proportion of the material which is smaller than the membrane pore size passes through the membrane as permeate or filtrate; everything else is retained on the feed side of the membrane as retentate.

With cross flow filtration the tangential motion of the bulk of the fluid across the membrane causes trapped particles on the filter surface to be rubbed off. This means that a cross flow filter can operate continuously at relatively high solids loads without blinding. The principle advantage of this is that filter cake is substantially washed away during filtration process.

This type of filtration is typically selected for feeds containing a high proportion of small particle size solids because solid material can quickly block the filter surface with dead end filtration. Industrial examples if this include the extraction of soluble antibiotics from fermentation liquors.

CROSS FLOW FILTRATION VS DEAD END FILTRATION

DESIGN ASPECTS
Pressure Temperature Cross flow velocity and turbulence Membrane pore stucture Element configuration

PRESSURE
The first parameter is the trans membrane pressure which is define as the difference in pressure between the filtrate side of the membrane and the permeate side of the membrane. The trans membrane is the driving force for the membrane separation. Increase in trans membrane increases the flux across the membrane. For ultra pure water the increase is linearly proprotional. As flux increases, Dp effect at the boundary layer also increase and the curve of the flux gained as pressure gradually falls off the pure water ideal.

The following graph depicts the dependency of the permeate flux on applied pressure . As illustrated above,

A straight line between flux and pressure is obtained for pure water. For a solution containing salts, the curve is initially linear and starts deviating at high pressures as osmotic pressure gradually increases. For foulants the curve gets much more deviation because of increased osmotic pressure.

TEMPERATURE
Flux increase proportionally with temperature due to reduced kinematic viscosity. Increased flux leads to a increase fouling.