Dimensional Analysis of Crossflow Microfiltration Data

Abstract

A new approach to correlating crossflow microfiltration (CFMF) data based on dimensional analysis is presented. The steady state flux was assumed to be a function of the trans‐membrane pressure (ΔP), the crossflow velocity (u), the particle concentration (c), filtrate viscosity (μ), and membrane resistance (R _m). Correlations of the form J/u=K(ΔP/cu ²) ^a (ΔP/μuR _m) ^b were tested on three sets of published data: one for CFMF of dried yeast suspensions in a laminar flow hollow fiber module, one for dried yeast suspensions in a turbulent flow tubular module and one for suspensions of latex particles in a laminar flow flat sheet module. The R ² values for the fits of the correlations to the data were 0.98, 0.94, and 0.91 respectively.

Keywords:

• Crossflow microfiltration
• dimensionless numbers
• flux
• correlation
• steady state