Crystallization and pressure filtration of anhydrous milk fat: Mixing effects

Melt crystallization of anhydrous milk fat and subsequent filtration of the slurry is a common process for obtaining milk fat fractions with different physical and chemical properties. The crystallization mechanism is very complex and little is known about how the crystallizer conditions and the crystal size distribution (CSD) affect the filtration process. The objective of this study was to characterize the fractionation process and determine which geometric parameters of the crystallizer affect the filtration step. Two scales of fractionation were studied, 0.6 L and 3.6 L, with crystallization at 28°C. The slurry was pressure-filtered after 24 h at 500 kPa in a 1-L chamber. Impeller diameters and speeds were varied for both scales. Photomicroscopy and spectrophotometry were used to characterize the crystallization process, and filtration rates were measured by weighing the amount of filtrate passing through the filter. Filtration resistance values, calculated using the constant pressure filtration equation, as well as photomicroscopy results indicated that the agglomerates and crystals that formed had different morphological characteristics for the different mixing and flow regimes in the crystallizer. Crystallization conditions that provide an optimal filtration time, a solid fraction with minimal liquid entrainment, and a CSD with an intermediate range of sizes (80–500 μm) having good packing properties for filtration were found.     

陶瓷过滤管表面粉尘层清除过程的图像分析

Based on the analysis of high-speed video images, the detachment behavior of dust cake from the ceramic candle filter surface during pulse cleaning process is investigated. The influences of the dust cake loading,the reservoir pressure, and the filtration velocity on the cleaning effectiveness are analyzed. Experimental results show that there exists an optimum dust cake thickness for pulse-cleaning process. For thin dust cake, the patchy cleaning exists and the cleaning efficiency is low; if the dust cake is too thick, the pressure drop across the dust cake becomes higher and a higher reservoir pressure may be needed. At the same time there also exists an optimum reservoir pressure for a given filtration condition.     

循环过程中陶瓷滤材内粉尘沉积规律实验研究

The penetration and deposit of particles within the medium is thought to be one reason that the residual pressure drop of the rigid ceramic filter increase with cycle number. In this study, the change in the microstructure of a single layer ceramic filter candle during filtration-cleaning cycle was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the resistance property of the filter was monitored accordingly. The experimental results show that there exists a serious dust deposit within the filter medium, especially at the surface region. This should be responsible for the decrease of the filter permeability. The deposit law of dust in the filter medium during filtration-cleaning cycle was then studied by measuring the deposit depth, the deposit amount, the particles distribution within the medium, the size distribution of deposited particles, and so on. Particles migration and fine particles penetration were found to be the main reasons, for which dust deposit within the filter medium became aggravated with cycle number. Based on a differential form of Ergun equation, an expression for the pressure drop of a used ceramic filter was developed with a good agreement with experimental results. Then, the effect of dust deposit on the residual pressure drop was studied at the different face velocities and dust sizes. It was found that face velocity and dust size significantly influence dust deposit within filter medium, and then the operation performance of the filter.     

多层合采油藏最大有效井径数学模型及精确解

The maximum effective hole-diameter mathematical model describing the flow of slightly compressible fluid through a commingled reservoir was solved rigorously with consideration of wellbore storage and different skin factors. The exact solutions for wellbore pressure and the production rate obtained from layer j for a well production at a constant rate from a radial drainage area with infinite and constant pressure and no flow outer boundary condition were expressed in terms of ordinary Bessel functions. These solutions were computed numerically by the Crump‘‘s numerical inversion method and the behavior of systems was studied as a function of various reservoir parameters. The model was compared with the real wellbore radii model. The new model is numerically stable when the skin factor is positive and negative, but the real wellbore radii model is numerically stable only when the skin factor is positive.     

Maximum Effective Hole Mathematical Modei and Exact Solution for Commingled Reservoir

The maximum effective hole-diameter mathematical modei describing the flow of slightly compressible fluid through a commingled reservoir was solved rigorously with consideration of wellbore storage and different skin factors. The exact solutions for wellbore pressure and the production rate obtained from layer j for a well production at a constant rate from a radial drainage area with infinite and constant pressure and no flow outer boundary condition were expressed in terms of ordinary Bessel functions. These solutions were computed numerically by the Crump's numerical inversion method and the behavior of systems was studied as a function of various reservoir parameters. The modei was compared with the real wellbore radii modei. The new modei is numerically stable when the skin factor is positive and negative, but the real wellbore radii modei is numerically stable only when the skin factor is positive.     

硅藻土-木桨纤维为助滤剂强化过滤过程的研究(英文)

In this paper, a study to enhance the filtration for solid/liquid materials difficult to be filtered, such as highly viscous, highly compactible or gel like materials, is presented. Filter aids diatomaceous earth and wood pulp cellulose are used to enhance the filtration by improving filter cake structure and properties in the filtration of a biological health product and a highly viscous chemical fiber polymer melt product. The property of solid/liquid systems, filtration at different flow rates, specific cake resistance, cake wetness, filtration rate, filtrate turbidity for filter aid selection and evaluation, and operation optimization are investigated. The results are successfully applied to industrial process, and can be used as a reference for similar filtration applications.     

Filtering surface water with a polyurethane-based hollow fiber membrane: effects of operating pressure on membrane fouling

Membrane fouling seriously restricts applications of membrane technology. A novel strategy was ap-plied in this study to retard membrane fouling by changing operating pressure with the pressure responsibility membrane. A polyurethane-based hollow fiber membrane was used to treat surface water for evaluating the effect of operating pressure on membrane fouling. Some bench-scale tests in dead-end mode were carried out. In the experi-ments without backwashing, as operating pressure increased, severe membrane fouling occurred on membrane sur-face, while the permeate quality was improved obviously, which is considered to be due to shrinkage deformation. The total resistance, irreversible resistance and reversible resistance under different backwash pressures were de-termined in filtration/backwashing test. With the increase of backwash pressure, the total resistance decreased, and more importantly, the irreversible resistance also decreased, which implies that small particles deposited inside membrane pores and cake layers on membrane surface are effectively removed. Similar results could be obtained in mass balance tests. The results of the present study indicate that the application of pressure responsibility membrane in surface water treatment may be an effective strategy for reducing membrane fouling.     

操作温度对褶皱型不锈钢编织型过滤器阻力特性的影响

Effect of working temperature on the resistance characteristic including the permeability coefficient and the pressure drop evolution of a pleated stainless steel woven filter with a nominal pore size of 0.5 μm has been studied. The permeability coefficient was obtained based on the pressure drop data and the Darcy’s law. In three filtration experiments, pure carbon dioxide at 283 K, nitrogen at 85 K and liquid helium at 18 K are adopted, respectively. It is found that the permeability coefficient decreases at the working temperature due to the cold shrink of the filter element at cryogenic temperature. Then, two kinds of feed slurries, mixture of liquid nitrogen and solid carbon dioxide at 85 K, and mixture of liquid helium and solid nitrogen at 18 K, flow into the filter cell. The solid particles are deposited on the filter surface to form a filter cake and the purified liquid flows through the filter. It is found that the pressure drop evolution shows the same trend on these two temperatures, which can be divided into three stages with high filtration efficiency, indicating the feasibility of the filter for cryogenic application. However, variant cake resistances are obtained, which is resulted from the different interactions between solid particles in the feed slurry at lower working temperature.     

Enhancement of fine particle filtration with efficient humidification

Filtration is one of the most effective methods to remove suspended fine particles from air. In filtration processes,pressure drop of compact dust cake causes problems in efficiency and economy, which has received increasing attention and still remains challenging. In this study, we developed a novel technique to intensify the filtration of fine particles with efficient humidification. Two strategies for humidification, including ultrasonic atomization and steam humidification(controlling of ambient humidity), were employed and proved to be both effective. The regeneration frequency of the filter could be reduced by 55% with ultrasonic atomization, while steam humidification could lead to a 78% reduction in regeneration frequency. The effect of operating conditions on pressure drop and the mass loading during filtration were investigated. The dust cake showed a loose and porous structure with an optimized droplet-to-particle ratio. With the ratio of 1.53 and 0.0282, the maximum mass loading was 552 g·m-2upon the ultrasonic atomization and 720 g·m-2upon the steam humidification. The results show that humidification could slow down the increase of pressure drop during filtration and improve the efficiency of process.     

混凝耦合多孔陶瓷膜净化河水简

Membrane filtration technology combined with coagulation is widely used to purify river water. In this study, micro filtration （MF） and ultrafiltration （UF） ceramic membranes were combined with coagulation to treat local river water located at Xinghua, Jiangsu province, China. The operation parameters, fouling mechanism and pilot-scale tests were investigated. The results show that the pore size of membrane has small effect on the pseudo-steady flux for dead-end filtration, and the increase of flux in MF process is more than that in UF process for cross-flow filtration with the same increase of cross-flow velocity. The membrane pore size has little influence on the water quality. The analysis on membrane fouling mechanism shows that the cake filtrationhas significant in fluence on the pseudo-steady flux and water quality for the membrane with pore size of 50, 200 and 500 nm. For the membrane with pore size of 200 nm and backwashing employed in our pilot study, a constant flux of 150 L-m^-2-h^-1 was reached during stable operation, with the removal efficiency of turbidity, total organic carbon （TOC） and UV254 higher than 99%, 45% and 48%, respectively. The study demonstrates that coagulation-porous ceramic membrane hybrid process is a reliable method for river water purification.     

恒压操作下深层过滤阻力模型的研究

分析了流体在深层滤床中所受的阻力,从经典的达西公式和科泽尼——卡曼方程着手,推导出清洁滤层的过滤阻力及过滤速度表达式,在此基础上结合深层过滤物理模型,引入微元概念,得到恒压操作下截污滤层的过滤阻力和过滤速度数学模型,明确了过滤阻力随各种参数的变化关系,对恒压操作深层过滤的应用有指导意义。     

Filtration Behavior of Suspensions of Uniform Polystyrene Particles in Aqueous Media

Abstract

Cake filtration experiments of suspensions of polystyrene particles, of uniform morphology, through Nuclepore membranes having uniform pores were carried out. The effects of particle properties (size and surface charge), suspension properties (particle concentration and ionic strength), and applied pressure were determined. The results were analyzed in terms of the conventional Darcy-Ruth filtration equation. Plots of resistance versus weight of solids in the cake revealed two distinct regions with a transition occurring early on in the filtration process at a cake thickness of the order of 1 mm. The initial portion has a lower average slope (specific resistance) than that of the second region. It is by only plotting this second region (i.e. ignoring the initial stages of the filtration process) that apparent negative values for the medium resistance are obtained.

The specific cake resistance obtained from the slope of the second region, which spans at least 90% of the filtration time, was correlated with particle and dispersion properties. The specific filtration resistance was essentially independent of slurry concentration and of the total applied pressure. Specific cake resistance measured at constant pressure and slurry concentration showed an inverse dependence on ionic strength.     

Laboratory cake filtration testing using constant rate

A precipitated calcium carbonate with Sauter mean diameter of 7.5 μm was filtered under conditions of constant rate and constant pressure in a comparative laboratory investigation. The specific cake resistance to filtration was found to vary between 1 × 10⁹ and 1 × 10¹¹ m kg⁻¹, depending on the applied pressure, and the corresponding filter cake volume concentrations were between 0.42 and 0.54 (v/v). The calculated specific resistance, from the particle size distribution data and the Kozeny–Carman equation is one order of magnitude lower than that measured, even though the solids were extremely robustly characterised. Practical filter testing rather than design based on size distributions is known to be essential. However, the conventional approach is to use constant pressure laboratory tests, the results presented here demonstrate that constant rate filtration is a more reliable method for data acquisition, especially when determining the filter medium resistance, and readily available laboratory equipment is adequate for use.     

Cake filtration of suspensions in viscoelastic fluids

The fundamental framework for cake filtration of suspensions in viscoelastic media is extended to include the effects of polymer retention, including adsorption in the filter cake, polymer retention and elongational flow in the filter medium, which also undergoes compaction, and evaluation of polymer degradation in the filter cake and medium. Experimental data obtained in constant pressure filtration of starch suspensions in dilute aqueous polyacrylamide solutions confirmed the prediction of an enhanced apparent medium resistance R_ma and a reduced cake resistance α_R. Evaluations are presented of the contributions to the pressure drop due to enhanced normal stresses in elongational flow and to polymer retention (adsorption), and of the ratio of the particle size with and without adsorbed polymer in the cake. The analysis of the data points to high levels of polymer degradation during the flow of the polymer solution through the filter cake and medium.     

Cake properties of nanocolloid evaluated by variable pressure filtration associated with reduction in cake surface area

A potential method has been developed for evaluating simultaneously both the average specific resistance and average porosity of the filter cake formed in unstirred dead‐end ultrafiltration of nanocolloids such as bovine serum albumin solution and silica sol. The method consists of variable pressure filtration followed by constant pressure filtration. The relation between the average specific cake resistance and the pressure drop across the cake was determined from the evolution of the filtration rate with time in the course of the variable pressure filtration period, based on the compressible cake filtration model. The average porosity was evaluated from the significant flux decline caused by a sudden reduction in the cake surface area in the middle of the constant pressure filtration period. The pressure dependences of both the average specific cake resistance and average cake porosity were obtained from only two runs which differed from each other in the pressure profiles. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3869–3877, 2014     

A theoretical and experimental study on cake filtration with sedimentation

Sedimentation occurs in almost all cake filtration. To study the role of sedimentation during filtration, filtration-permeations were carried out for suspensions of various concentrations. The average specific cake resistances calculated by the traditional method using the filtration data and initial concentration of suspension give different values according to the suspension concentrations. But the average specific cake resistances from the permeation period show almost the same values in spite of the various suspension concentrations. To exclude the influence of sedimentation, a complete sedimentation was performed before beginning filtration and then filtration-permeation of the sediment was performed. The average specific cake resistance from the filtration period calculated with the mass fraction of sediment and that from the permeation period coincide very well. These values also coincide well with the former average specific resistances during permeation within the experimental error limits. It can be concluded that the average specific cake resistances by permeation operation give almost the same values for various concentrations of suspension. A new definition of a cake and a new concept of the filter medium Rm are proposed based on the analysis of experimental results.     

Filtration characteristics of aluminium hydroxide mixtures (alumina hydrates)

The specific cake resistance of the alumina hydrates obtained from sodium aluminate solutions was investigated against the caustic ratio, ageing and filtration pressure using a laboratory test filter at constant pressure filtration conditions. The alumina hydrate product was produced from sodium aluminate solutions by seeding the aluminium hydroxide crystals of definite size distribution at constant solution temperature. The specific cake resistance was found to increase with the caustic ratio and filtration pressure and to decrease with the ageing of alumina hydrates in aluminate solutions.     

恒压操作下深层过滤系数λ的研究

分析了影响深层过滤系数λ的几种因素 ,着重介绍了过滤介质表面积、流路几何形状、介质层孔隙内液体流动速度影响过滤系数的三种模型。建立了恒压操作下 ,过滤系数λ与比堆积量σ间的函数关系式 ,并通过实验确定式中的待定指数。是研究恒压操作下深层过滤理论的基础。     

Cake filter scale-up, simulation and data acquisition—A new approach

This paper details a unique, automated filtration apparatus and the newly developed Filter Design Software (FDS) which facilitates equipment selection, scale-up and simulation through an integrated experimental and theoretical approach.By way of example, experimental data were obtained with the apparatus over constant, variable and stepped pressure regimes. Inherent suspension properties were maintained throughout by utilising a computer-controlled pressure regulator and cake formation was monitored by micro-pressure transducers capable of providing up to seven independent measures of liquid pressure within 3.3 mm of the filter medium surface. For constant pressure and moderately compressible talc cakes the liquid pressure increased with cake height in a non-linear manner and generally exhibited a concave profile. When a pressure step was applied following a period of constant pressure filtration, the cake structure typically required up to 30 s to reach a new pseudo-equilibrium state. During this time the reciprocal filtrate flow rate vs. filtrate volume plot was non-linear and the liquid pressures in the cake increased rapidly before remaining nearly constant. When the cake was thicker or the pressure step larger, the liquid pressure measured closer to the filter medium remained either constant following the increase in pressure or increased slowly over the 360 s duration of the pressure step which indicates potential difficulties with the stepped pressure test.The filtration data were analysed using FDS to obtain scale-up coefficients and the impact of using incorrect scale-up coefficients on likely filter performance at the process scale is shown. The simulation capabilities of FDS are also highlighted through a case study in which, by way of example, the influence of crystal formation and other operating parameters on the filter cycle for a pharmaceutical product are shown. Simulations quantify how crystal form can detrimentally influence all phases of a cycle and lead to, for instance, slower filtration and wetter filter cakes.     

A comparison of hydrodynamic methods for mitigating particle fouling in submerged membrane filtration

Hydrodynamic methods are used for mitigating particle fouling and for enhancing the filtrate flux in submerged membrane filtration. In the comparison membrane blocking-cake formation filtration system, the effects of filtration pressure, aeration intensity, backwash duration and stepwise increasing pressure on the filtration resistances and filtration flux are measured and discussed. Aeration is helpful for reducing particle deposition on the membrane surface, while stepwise increasing pressure can mainly mitigate internal fouling of the membrane. Periodic backwash can significantly reduce both the resistance caused by the membrane internal fouling and by cake formation; consequently, it can effectively recover the filtrate flux. In contrast, increasing the pressure in constant pressure filtration leads the flux to be decreased due to more severe membrane blockage. According to the comparison of the long-term flux and the received filtrate volume, among these hydrodynamic methods, the periodic backwash with longer duration is the optimal strategy for the filtration.