L‐Lysine Monohydrochloride Syrup Concentration using a Membrane Hybrid Process of Ultrafiltration and Vacuum Membrane Distillation

The development of energy saving membrane separation processes is finding a unique position in process industries. One of the important areas where they are employed is the biotechnology industry. This industry has its own specifications and requirements, e.g., levels of diluteness, thermal, chemical and shear fragility. Membrane separation processes have the characteristics necessary to match these specifications and needs. In this research, the determination of the experimental concentration of L‐Lysine monohydrochloride (L‐lysine‐HCl) syrup was investigated using ultrafiltration (UF) and vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) hybrid membrane processes. Four parameters that are known to have significant influence on the UF process were examined, i.e., pressure difference across the membrane, feed concentration of L‐lysine‐HCl, feed velocity on the membrane surface, and pH. For the VMD unit, pressure difference and pH were replaced with feed temperature and vacuum pressure on the permeate side of membrane. Each process was carried out separately and the results were used to design a bench‐scale process. In order to save time and money, the Taguchi method of experimental design was employed. The effects of feed concentration, pressure difference across the membrane, feed velocity on the membrane surface, and pH on the target variable, i.e., the membrane flux, in the UF process were 39.93, 38.65, 9.36, and 9.59 %, respectively. For the VMD process, these values were 64.79, 22.16, 6.21, and 2.14 % for feed temperature, feed concentration, vacuum pressure on the permeate side, and feed velocity on the membrane surface, respectively.