Microfiltration - state of the art

✍ Scribed by Rune Glimenius

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 472 KB
• Volume: 53
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0011-9164
• DOI: 10.1016/0011-9164(85)85073-6

✦ Synopsis

Microfiltration

is the oldest membrane technology, and microfilters were used several decades before the first industrial reverse osmosis membrane was produced.

From the beginning microfilters were all of the depth-filter type. Development of membrane-type microfilters with a reasonably narrow pore size distribution and at the same time a successful use of the cross-flow principle for RO and UF formed the basis for cross-flow MF.

However, we must admit that the technical problems to be solved in this area seem to be of a much greater magnitude than those for RO and UF.

The interaction between the membrane itself, the media to be treated and the hydraulic operating conditions are far more complicated than in RO and UF.

Several MF concepts have been introduced on the market, but until now there has not been a real breakthrough in any important application.

Intensive research, however, is being carried out all over the world both by universities and industry. We shall probably see the breakthrough for some applications before the end of the BOies.