Membranes

A membrane is a thin barrier that permits the transport

of certain species across it from one fluid to another.
Membranes can be classified by the operating driving
force for transport.
Hydrostatic Pressure
Microfiltration
The microfiltration membrane shown here is used in
protein and nucleic acid concentration and purification.

(Millipore Corporation, Billerica, MA)

General Information
In microfiltration, a sieving effect separates particles
based on their size. A mixture of components of different
sizes is brought to the surface of a semipermeable
membrane, meaning the membrane only allows certain
species to permeate through. Under the driving force of a
hydrostatic pressure gradient, some of the components
permeate the membrane, whereas others do not, resulting
in a separation.

(Copyright Sterlitech Corporation, Kent, WA)

Equipment Design
A symmetric microporous membrane (a membrane
consisting of uniform pore diameters) is used to separate
the components in microfiltration systems, such as the
one shown here. Microporous membranes consist of a
solid matrix with holes or pores. In microfiltration, these
pores have a diameter between 0.1 and 10 micrometers.

(Copyright Copyright GEA Process Engineering,

www.niroinc.com) In separations involving straight- through filters, known as
dead-end filtration, all the feed solution is forced through
the membrane by an applied pressure. Essentially all the
fluid permeates the membrane in one pass. For
applications with high solid concentration, plugs may
occur.
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Microfiltration membranes can also be operated in a
crossflow mode, where the feed solution is pumped
across the membrane parallel to its surface. By
maintaining a high velocity across the membrane, the
retained solid is swept off the surface of the membrane,
as shown below. This makes the crossflow mode ideal
when a significant amount of material would be retained
on the membrane. However, this mode of separation is
not very efficient, and a recycling loop might be necessary.

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Usage Examples
Microfiltration is used for process water purification and
wastewater treatment. The microfiltration membrane
system shown here is used for wastewater treatment.

(Copyright Copyright GEA Process Engineering,

www.niroinc.com)
Microfiltration membranes are also used in a wide range
of medical applications, such as diagnostics, filtration,
controlled release applications, and for electromechanical
cell components. Microfiltration systems can be also used
in multiple industries such as thepharmaceutical , food
and dairy industries. The pilot plant microfiltration system
shown below will be used for bacteria and fat removal
from skim milk or whey. It will provide accurate results that
can be replicated for full scale production.
(Copyright Copyright GEA Process Engineering,
www.niroinc.com)
 Advantages
Effective in separating small particles of differing size or
molecular mass.
Disadvantages
Ineffective in separating particles of similar size or
molecular mass.
Salts and macromolecules are allowed to pass through
the membrane.
Dead-end filters may plug.
Cross-flow filters are inefficient, requiring recycle loops.