Microfiltration of skim milk using polymeric membranes for casein concentrate manufacture

Ceramic membranes are classically used for microfiltration of dairy fluids with large wall shear stress values achieved through the use of high crossflow velocities. In this paper, both pilot and laboratory scale studies have been used to investigate the use of polymeric membranes for the production of a casein concentrate from skim milk. Results suggest that very high casein rejections are possible with this approach, but that a low transmembrane pressure is required to facilitate whey protein transmission. As expected, membrane flux increases with both transmembrane pressure and temperature. Permeate composition is essentially independent of temperature, with the notable exception of the κ-casein content, which is detected at 50 °C but not at 10 °C. This leakage of κ-casein at the higher temperature may result from damage to the surface of the casein micelles induced by shear forces in the membrane circuit pump. The work has also shown the usefulness of a laboratory crossflow apparatus for such experiments, with results on this unit consistent with those obtained using a full scale spiral wound element.     

The effects of performance and cleaning cycles of new tubular ceramic microfiltration membrane fouled with a model yeast suspension

The efficiency of crossflow microfiltration processes is limited by membrane fouling and concentration polarization leading to permeate flux decline during operation. The experiments that were carried out in the laboratory were conducted to determine and investigate the performance, behaviour and the fouling susceptibility of new ceramic tubular microfiltration membranes during the crossflow filtration of yeast suspensions. The tubular membranes of nominal pore size 0.5 microns were fouled over a varied range of concentration, temperatures, pH, crossflow velocities and system pressures. The typical filtration conditions were at a temperature of 25°C, a system pressure of 1.5 bar and a concentration of 0.03 g/L yeast suspension. These parameters varied during subsequent investigations. After each experiment, the membrane and the rig were cleaned using a three stage cleaning process and was reused in order to replicate industrial filtration conditions. The effects of repeated fouling and cleaning cycles upon membrane flux over time and cleaning efficiency are investigated and their influence over time is also documented. For every experiment, the flux data was recorded over a 50 min period and the membrane was changed after the PWF declined considerably due to excessive fouling over time. Chemical cleaning consisted of a sequential application of a 1% caustic solution through the rig followed by a 2% hypochlorite solution and a 2% nitric solution, all at 50°C. The permeate flux was shown to decrease with filtration time during the development of the fouling layer. Once the fouling layer was developed and established, there appeared to be a leveling of permeate flux. The experimental results are presented in the report and the flux values at different conditions are presented.     

The influence of feed flow channel diameter on frictional pressure drop,membrane performance and process cost in full-scale tubular ceramic membranes

Tubular ceramic membranes with many, small-diameter feed flow channels have the advantage of being less costly per unit membrane area. For this reason, membranes with many small channels are often favored over those with fewer larger channels. We have theoretically studied how the diameter of the feed flow channels influences the frictional pressure drop, the membrane performance (flux and retention) and the process cost by performing basic pressure drop calculations and using experimental data from bench-scale experiments. The investigation was carried out on a model microfiltration process consisting of the separation of yeast cells from polyethylene glycol (PEG) macromolecules. For a membrane with 2.5 mm channels the average flux and PEG retention were 112 L/m²h and 22%, respectively, differing significantly from a membrane with 6.0 mm channel diameter (131 L/m²h, 17%), under the same hydrodynamic conditions. The choice of channel diameter also has a considerable impact on the process cost. While the costs were similar for membranes with 6.0 and 3.8 mm diameter channels, they were about 55% higher using a membrane with 2.5 mm channels. This high cost was mainly attributed to the high frictional pressure drop along the membrane, which increases the energy required for pumping.     

Preparation and characterization of a thin continuous faujasite membrane on tubular porous mullite support

The progressive increase of VOC emissions, the growing information of their hazardous nature, and the resulting increasingly more restrictive environmental regulations in the industrialized countries have induced the development of different methods for VOCs abatement. Membrane separation process is a good alternative to gain this purpose. In this paper, a high quality faujasite membrane was prepared. Tubular porous mullite supports were fabricated from Kaolin clay by a temperature-programmed calcination treatment, following a leaching treatment. As observed in SEM photographs, the porosity of the support increased during the leaching treatment. The NaX zeolite powders were prepared hydrothermally and characterized with XRD and SEM. The best crystalline powder and the corresponding starting gel were respectively used for seeding treatment and hydrothermal crystallization of a thin, continuous and fully covering X-type zeolitic top layer on outer surface of the cylindrical support. The membrane was characterized with XRD and SEM.     

Synthesis and characterization of cellulose acetate-polysulfone blend microfiltration membrane for separation of microbial cells from lactic acid fermentation broth

This work is focused on synthesis and characterization of a polymer blend microfiltration membrane for separation of microbial cells from lactic acid fermentation broth in a continuous process. The membranes were prepared by blending hydrophilic cellulose diacetate (CA) polymer with hydrophobic polysulfone (PSF) polymer in wet phase inversion method. Polymers were blended in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solvent (70 wt.%) where polyethylene glycol was added as a pore former. The membranes were characterized in terms of morphology, porosity, flux and microbial separation capability. The best prepared membrane with PSF/CA weight ratio of 25/75 yielded a pure water flux of 1830 LMH (liter/m² h) and a fermentation broth flux of 1430 LMH at around 1.5 bar TMP (trans-membrane pressure). The membrane was successful in complete retention of microbial cells from the broth in a continuous crossflow membrane module integrated with the fermentor.     

Design and optimization of ceramic membrane structure: From the perspective of flux matching between support and membrane

The support flux was first investigated as a separate influencing factor for its effect on performances of ceramic filtration membranes. Three pre-membranes were prepared by tape-casting and then transfer-coated to supports to form dual-layer ceramic membranes after sintering. Experiments demonstrated that membrane layers with almost the same properties were obtained despite the huge difference in support flux. When the support flux increases from 3.120 to 97.53 m³m^?2h^?1, the flux of these three membrane series have increased by 75%, 186% and 228%, respectively. Experimental rules can provide structural design and evaluation from the perspective of permeability. The limit membrane flux of a certain system was derived according to the resistance distribution law of internal membrane structure and the Darcy's theorem. On this basis, a method for designing support flux was proposed. Furthermore, we present a criterion to quickly and easily evaluate the match between the support and the top layer, which is the ratio of membrane resistance to total resistance. Finally, the filtration resistance of penetration caused by suction of membrane particles into the support was measured for the first time, taking the advantage of the transfer-coating method that inherently free of penetration. Our works are expected to deepen the understanding of the ceramic membrane structure and provided guidance for its rational design and optimization.     

Effect of outlet drying temperature and milk fat content on the physicochemical characteristics of spray-dried camel milk powder

Abstract

A composite face-centered experimental design was used to investigate the influence of spray drying conditions on the physicochemical characteristics of camel and cow milk powders. Response surface methodology (RSM) was deployed to appraise the effects of these processing parameters (the outlet drying temperature and the milk fat content) on water activity (a_w), glass transition temperature (T_g), bulk density, and free fat quantity. According to RSM analysis, it was noticed that the a_w and the T_g were primarily influenced by the outlet drying temperature instead of by milk fat content. Our results highlighted the negative effects of milk fat content and of the outlet drying temperature on the bulk density as well as on the free fat quantity of camel milk powder. Likewise, our findings underlined the negative effect of the outlet drying temperature on the bulk density of cow milk powder. However, the increase of fat content has led to the overexposure of fat at the free surface of the cow milk powder. Our results suggested a marked similarity of the overall thermodynamic behavior of both milks, during drying. Nevertheless, some differences were highlighted regarding the structuring of the particles of camel milk powder.     

A new Navier-Stokes and Darcy's law combined model for fluid flow in crossflow filtration tubular membranes

Numerical simulations were performed for laminar fluid flow in a porous tube with variable wall suction, a model of a crossflow filtration tubular membrane. The variable wall suction is described by Darcy's law, which relates the pressure gradient within a flow stream to the flow rates through the permeable wall. The feed stream in the tube, which flows mainly tangentially to the porous wall, is modelled by the Navier-Stokes equations. A method of coupling the Navier-Stokes and the Darcy equations in a solution scheme was considered to develop a fluid dynamic model of crossflow filtration. The governing equations were solved numerically using a finite difference scheme. The solution depends on both the Reynolds axial and filtration number. Some assumptions adopted in simplified models are discussed.     

Microfiltration and stabilization of egg yolk phospholipid emulsions by a microporous glass membrane

A microporous glass membrane with a narrow-range pore size was applied for the microfiltration of egg yolk phospholipid emulsions. The oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions were successfully filtered using the membrane without any coalescence of oil droplets or the breakdown of the emulsions. The filtrated oil-in-water emulsion was stable for at least 6 wk when stored at 5°C. The results obtained suggest that the technique would be valuable for the precise filtration of emulsions for food uses as well as intravenous fat and/or drug carrier emulsions, and offer the stabilization of the emulsions.     

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.     

Performance of a new ceramic microfiltration membrane based on kaolin in textile industry wastewater treatment

A ceramic microfiltration membrane with a porosity of 40.2%, mean pore diameter of 0.27?μm, and a flexural strength of 55?MPa was prepared and applied for treatment of two types of textile dye-bath effluents. The ceramic membrane had a water permeability of 1376?L/m².h.bar and showed excellent corrosion resistance against basic medium. Considerable removal of COD (25%), TDS (31%), BOD (39%), turbidity (21%), sulphates (34%), chlorides (33%), and color (26%) from textile effluents was achieved in the microfiltration treatment along with complete (100%) removal of TSS. This study revealed that filtration of textile effluents using a sub-micron range ceramic membrane (0.27?μm) is more effective than traditional microfiltration membranes (2–10?μm). The flux data fitted well with the standard pore blocking model indicating that the removal of various contaminants is due to adsorption of solutes on the interior surfaces of membrane pores.     

Application of phospholipids extracted from bovine milk to the reconstitution of cream using butter oil

Phospholipid (PL) extracted from bovine milk was tested for its emulsifying properties in conjunction with the reconstitution of cream using butter oil. PL from bovine milk dispersed in the oil phase was found to stabilize the cream, whereas PL extracted from soybean oil was found to solidify the cream. Different PL species purified from bovine milk PL were tested for their emulsifying properties. PC from bovine milk dispersed in butter oil was shown to stabilize the cream, whereas PE and sphingomyelin had no such effects. PC from soybean oil also was found to have emulsifying abilities. It was suggested that PC stabilized the reconstituted cream, regardless of its origin.     

Viability of microbial mass in a submerged membrane bioreactor

In this study the viability of biomass in a submerged membrane activated sludge system (sMBR) which treats domestic wastewater was investigated by dealing with non-biodegradable COD, specific oxygen uptake rate and MLVSS during operation for 100 days. It was shown that the viability of biomass in the bioreactor was reduced at the 50% level because of the accumulation of inert compounds and the reduction in the activities of poor biomass. After inoculating the bioreactor again, the specific OUR increased because of young biomass entering into the bioreactor. It was shown that there was an exponential relationship between OUR and MLVSS and there was a logarithmic relationship between specific OUR and MLVSS.     

Effect of intermittent back ozonation for membrane fouling reduction in microfiltration using a metal membrane

In a microfiltration system using a metal membrane for municipal raw sewage reclamation, the following research points were mainly investigated: 1) Effect of intermittent back ozonation for membrane fouling reduction, 2) effect of operational parameters for permeation flux, and 3) the estimation of optimal operational conditions using an empirical model in the case of back ozonation. Intermittent back ozonation dramatically improved the membrane fouling. The permeation flux was recovered up to 90% of initial flux with dosage of 0.27 (mgO₃/cm³/cycle). Among operational parameters, we found that ozone concentration was the most influential parameter for membrane fouling reduction. In the case of back ozonation, the optimal values of each operational parameter with respect to ozone concentration, ozone gas flow rate and injection time to satisfy 90% recovery of initial flux were 20.2 (mgO₃/L), 3.1 (L/min) and 2.1 (min), respectively. Intermittent back ozonation is believed to be an innovative and feasible technology for fouling reduction and high permeation flux in case inorganic membrane material is being used.     

Electrokinetic property of ZrO2/cordierite composite MF membrane and its influence on the permeate flux

ZrO₂/cordierite composite microfiltration (MF) membrane was prepared by the combination of extrusion and slip casting techniques. The electrokinetic properties of as-prepared membrane were characterized by streaming potential measurements operated in tangential microfiltration mode. The influences of pH, electrolyte species and concentrations of filtered solutions on the electrokinetic properties and permeate flux were investigated. Results show that the streaming potentials are dependent on the pH, types of the electrolyte and concentrations of filtered solutions. The isoelectric point (IEP) of membranes moved from 4.2 to 5.4 with different types of 10^− 3 M electrolyte solutions. The change of ionic concentration of NaCl solution does not alter the IEP of the membranes, but does make the streaming potential tend to be zero at high salt concentration. The specific adsorption of Ca²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ ions in CaCl₂ and Na₂SO₄ solutions onto the pore wall can alter the IEP and the net charge sign of the membrane. The as-prepared ZrO₂/cordierite membrane shows a maximal permeate volume flux near the IEP.     

Polymerisation of methyl methacrylate in a pilot-scale tubular reactor: modelling and experimental studies

A pilot-scale tubular reactor fitted with in-line static mixers is experimentally and theoretically evaluated for the polymerisation of methyl methacrylate (MMA). A non-isothermal and non-adiabatic axially dispersed plug-flow model is used to describe the flow characteristics of the reactor. The model is applied to the polymerisation of a concentrated MMA solution (up to 72% (v/v)). Key model parameters were attained through independent bench and pilot-scale experiments. Measured monomer conversions and polymer molecular weight were accurately predicted by model simulation. The presence of static mixers is shown to give near-ideal plug-flow operation for the experimental conditions of this study. Furthermore, an approximately four-fold increase in overall heat transfer coefficient is indicated due to the radial mixing incited by the mixers. Studies also demonstrated the importance of inhibitor kinetics on the dynamic and steady-state performance of the reactor.     

Influence of dextrin content and sintering temperature on the properties of coal fly ash-based tubular ceramic membrane for flue gas moisture recovery

In this paper, in order to reduce the preparation cost of high-performance ceramic membrane, coal fly ash-based tubular ceramic membrane for flue gas moisture recovery was prepared, and its properties were optimized from two aspects: pore-forming agent (dextrin) content and sintering temperature. The results show that the ceramic membrane with dextrin content of 3 wt.% and sintering temperature of 1150 ℃ has the best performance. Through characterization, the ceramic membrane exhibits an open porosity of 42.0 %, mechanical strength of 26.6 MPa, average pore size of 0.49 μm, pure water flux of 5616 L/(m² barh). And, it has excellent corrosion resistance in acid and alkali. In addition, the flue gas moisture recovery performance of coal fly ash-based tubular ceramic membrane was studied experimentally. The highest water recovery ratio and the highest recovered water flux is 87.7 % and 6.01 kg/(m² h, respectively.     

Treatment of oily wastewater using low cost ceramic membrane: Comparative assessment of pore blocking and artificial neural network models

This work addresses the performance and modeling of the separation of oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions using low cost ceramic membrane that was prepared from inorganic precursors such as kaolin, quartz, feldspar, sodium carbonate, boric acid and sodium metasilicate. Synthetic o/w emulsions constituting 125 and 250 mg/L oil concentrations were subjected to microfiltration (MF) using this membrane in batch mode of operation with varying trans-membrane pressure differentials (ΔP) ranging from 68.95 to 275.8 kPa. The membrane exhibited 98.8% oil rejection efficiency and 5.36 × 10⁻⁶ m³/m² s permeate flux after 60 min of experimental run at 68.95 kPa trans-membrane pressure and 250 mg/L initial oil concentration. These experimental investigations confirmed the applicability of the prepared membrane in the treatment of o/w emulsions to yield permeate streams that can meet stricter environmental legislations (<10 mg/L). Subsequently, the experimental flux data has been subjected to modeling study using both conventional pore blocking models as well as back propagation-based multi-layer feed forward artificial neural network (ANN) model. Amongst several pore blocking models, the cake filtration model has been evaluated to be the best to represent the fouling phenomena. ANN has been found to perform better than the cake filtration model for the permeate flux prediction with marginally lower error values.     

Comparison of solvent removal methods of microporous polypropylene tubular membranes via thermally induced phase separation using a novel solvent: Camphene

A novel solvent, camphene, was used to prepare microporous polypropylene tubular membranes via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). In this process, camphene was removed by either sublimation or extraction. The effect of the solvent-removal on the structure and properties of the resulting membrane was studied. Microscopic observation and wide angle X-ray scattering indicate that the morphology and crystalline structure difference is minor. Thermal analysis and tensile tests reveal that the crystallinity and breaking strength of the tubular membrane from the extracting method are slightly higher than those for the sublimating method. Porosity measurements show that the sublimation method can yield membranes with slightly higher porosity than the extraction method. Furthermore, permeation results indicate that membranes from extraction have a smaller permeation rate and higher retention. Therefore solvent-extraction can produce a denser membrane structure than sublimation can.     

Effect of quenching temperature on the morphology and separation properties of polypropylene microporous tubular membranes via thermally induced phase separation

Polypropylene microporous tubular membranes were prepared by using camphene as solvent and through thermally induced phase separation at various quenching temperatures. Characterization of the resulting membrane included scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide angle X-ray scattering. Microscopic observation showed that the membrane was composed of spherical clusters and had a leafy structure. The crystallinity increased with the quenching temperature. The crystalline structure was of smectic form. Permeation performance was also determined, including pure water permeability and retention of dextran. The results showed that at lower quenching temperatures, the structure of membrane was denser. Therefore, the permeability was lower and the retention was higher.