Alternating flow direction improves chemical cleaning efficiency in hollow fibre membranes following skim milk microfiltration

With efficient membrane cleaning remaining a challenge, novel approaches have promising potential to enhance cleaning efficiency. This study examined the concept of feed side cyclical and permanent flow reversal during membrane cleaning, to which so far it has not been applied to. Experiments were conducted in a hollow fibre microfiltration membrane with lengths of 0.5 m and 1.0 m using skim milk for deposit formation, NaOH as a cleaning agent, and flux recovery ratio and protein removal for cleaning evaluation. Overall, flow reversal was found to significantly increase cleaning success. Due to the length-dependent pressure drop and flow reversal, the local transmembrane pressure at the initial feed inlet \textgreekDpTM inlet and thus the ratio of flow velocity to \textgreekDpTM inlet was increased compared to steady forward flow cleaning. This proved beneficial as it combines high shear stress with low \textgreekDpTM inlet where fouling was most pronounced after filtration.     «

With efficient membrane cleaning remaining a challenge, novel approaches have promising potential to enhance cleaning efficiency. This study examined the concept of feed side cyclical and permanent flow reversal during membrane cleaning, to which so far it has not been applied to. Experiments were conducted in a hollow fibre microfiltration membrane with lengths of 0.5 m and 1.0 m using skim milk for deposit formation, NaOH as a cleaning agent, and flux recovery ratio and protein removal for cle...     »