Electrically Assisted Microfiltration of Whey Suspensions using Non-Circular Multichannel Ceramic Membranes

Abstract

The electrofiltration performance of non-circular ceramic membranes using whey suspensions is investigated and appraised with reference to permeate flux and whey removals. Poor filtration performances were observed in the absence of an applied electric field. Increasing the applied voltages increases the permeate flux when the cathode was on the retentate side. The opposite trend is observed when the applied polarity of voltage is reversed. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals, used primarily to evaluate whey removal efficiencies, of up to 95% are achieved which increase with increasing voltages. The use of an electric field to enhance filtration is accompanied by substantial increase in energy consumption.

Keywords:

• corrugated membranes
• economic assessment
• electrofiltration
• specific energy consumption
• whey suspensions

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is grateful to Fairey Ceramics Ltd, England for the supply of the membranes.