Effect of diafiltration media and filtration modes on fouling and performance in skim milk microfiltration: A comparative study

Effect of diafiltration media and filtration modes on fouling and performance in skim milk microfiltration: A comparative study

Blog Article

ABSTRACT: This research used a customized laboratory setup to compare the filtration performance and fouling buildup during microfiltration with polymeric membranes of skim milk using 2 diafiltration media: ultrafiltration permeate and ultrapure water.Two filtration modes were evaluated: in stage 1, the diafiltration media was added in a 1:1 ratio, with the Emergency Lighting collection of permeate continuing until the initial protein concentration was restored.In stage 2, retentates and permeates were recycled to simulate fouling accumulation in a steady-state without altering the retentate composition.

Utilizing water as the diafiltration medium resulted in higher flux and lower resistance values compared with using ultrafiltration permeate, irrespective of the Maternity/Nursing filtration mode.The concentration had a significant effect on membrane resistance, with no noticeable time-dependent effect on fouling layer development after 60 min of filtration when the retentate composition remained constant.The protein composition of the permeate and extracted foulants were comparable between the 2 media, with caseins predominating in the fouling layer.