Exit

Advantages of Membrane Filtration

Author Archives: RJ Twiford

  1. Advantages of Membrane Filtration

    Comments Off on Advantages of Membrane Filtration

    Membrane filtration facilitates a physical separation process by separating molecules of varying sizes and properties. The different pressure levels on either side of the membrane act as the catalyst for the separation process. Membrane technology reduces overall production costs while improving product quality.

    The process involves passing one feed stream in a membrane system, which splits it into two streams: permeate and retentate. The membrane that divides them is a highly specialized physical barrier that only allows specific designated elements inside the feed stream to pass through.

    Advantages of Membrane Filtration

    When used in industry sectors where reliability, consistency, and running costs are critical factors, membrane filtration offers several major advantages, including:

    High ‌Flexibility

    Membrane filtering is compatible with a variety of feed materials with varying viscosities, including high-viscosity goods that would be difficult to process otherwise. A diverse choice of membrane filtration solutions ensures the best solution for each application is available. This also makes it more energy efficient.

    Lower Overall Production Expenses

    Due to low installation and energy costs, membrane filtration systems are usually more cost-effective than many other alternatives. Membrane filtration requires fewer processing stages, which reduces labor demands and allows for better ‌purity and higher overall yields.

    Because the process does not produce filter cakes, there are no expenditures associated with its removal and disposal.

    There Are No Chemical Requirements

    Current societal trends have created a focus on reducing or eliminating chemicals from water treatment processes. Membrane filtering can ‌minimize chemical additives, such as chlorination, by physically removing chemicals and other pathogens.

    Removes Pathogens

    Membrane filtration technology can remove over 90% of pathogens present in a water sample.

    Saves Time

    When comparing membrane filtering with its alternatives, such as the MPN approach, membrane filtration takes less time, requiring only 24 hours for a result.

    Enhanced Energy Efficiency

    Compared to other filtration methods, membrane filtration utilizes ultrafiltration before reverse osmosis and nanofiltration, resulting in 20% more energy efficiency.

    Preserving Proteins

    Membrane filtration technology is a unique non-thermal, environmentally friendly, greener technology with a wide range of future applications that reduces the negative effects of temperature rise, such as phase shifts, protein denaturation, and changes in product sensory qualities.

    Suited For Testing

    By shifting the disk to another medium, it is possible to isolate and count bacterial colonies.

    Exceptional Product Quality

    With the ability to remove up to 100% germs and pathogens, this environmentally friendly technology produces accurate and relevant results. It performs separation on the grounds of molecular size, eliminating the need for additives. This produces a high-quality end product and allows for easy compliance with various strict requirements authorized by both consumers and government agencies.

    Membrane Filtration Solutions

    Low energy usage, flexibility, and environmental friendliness are the key advantages of membrane filtration over alternative separation techniques. Membrane System Specialists offer membrane filtration systems and materials to satisfy your fluid separation requirements while adhering to strict sanitary guidelines.

    Our outstanding combination of experts, honesty, experience, technology, and innovative equipment allows us to serve all of our food and dairy customers, both in the present and the future. We are very detailed in every phase of the design process to create the optimal end design based on your individual needs. For many years, we’ve designed and built specialized membrane filtration systems for customers in the dairy and food industries. Contact us today to learn more about our system’s abilities or request a quote to speak with a member of our staff about your system specifications.

  2. Key Uses of Liquid Nanofiltration

    Comments Off on Key Uses of Liquid Nanofiltration

    What Is Liquid Nanofiltration?Industrial Production of Hard Cheese, Nanofiltration.

    Nanofiltration (NF) utilizes semipermeable membranes to filter our elements larger than 0.001 micron to 0.01 micron from a liquid feed stream. While the exact size of the elements filtered out depends on the size of the membrane pores, NF membrane filters can typically be used to remove suspended solids, microorganisms, and multivalent ions. Typical materials removed include:

    • Antibiotics
    • Dissolved organics
    • Herbicides
    • Insecticides/pesticides
    • Latex emulsions
    • Metal ions
    • Nitrates
    • Soluble salts
    • Sugars

    Compared to other liquid filtration methods, nanofiltration falls between reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration. Reverse osmosis has smaller membrane pores (less than 0.001 micron) and uses higher feed pressures to push the fluid through the membrane, while ultrafiltration has larger membrane pores (0.01 micron) and uses lower feed pressures. Its unique characteristics make it suitable for a variety of industrial applications. Below, we highlight some of its key industrial uses.

    Uses of Nanofiltration, Desalting whey with diafiltraitonwhey, Mineral Reduction of Whey, Concentration of Blood plasma.

    Applications for Liquid Nanofiltration

    Nanofiltration is used in a wide range of liquid handling and processing operations. Some of the industries that regularly rely on it include:

    Dairy

    In the dairy industry, nanofiltration is commonly utilized for whey concentration and other whey treatments. For example, cheesemakers use it to separate salt whey into low-salt and high-salt streams. It is also employed following clean-in-place operations to recycle cleaning solutions.

    Food and Beverage

    In the food and beverage industry, nanofiltration is used to separate various food materials into high-concentration and low-concentration streams. Besides dairy products, typical food and beverage components processed using this filtration method include beer, wine, coffee, and maple syrup.

    Textiles and Dyes

    In the textiles and dyes industry, nanofiltration is employed for many textile manufacturing operations. For example, it is used to desalinate and concentrate dyes for greater potency, recover fluorescent dyes after penetrant testing, and reconcentrate optical brightening agents to reduce operating costs.

    Biotech and Pharmaceuticals

    In the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, two of the main uses of nanofiltration are antibiotics production and blood processing. In antibiotics production, the filtration process is used to separate and concentrate antibiotics. In blood processing, it is used to desalinate, separate, and concentrate plasma and serum.

    Wastewater Management

    In the wastewater management industry, nanofiltration plays a key role in ensuring wastewater is safe for reuse or disposal. The filtration process is used to remove natural organic matter, suspended particulates, and other contaminants that may be harmful to humans or the environment.

    Other Industrial Processes

    The above list of applications is not all-inclusive. Nanofiltration is vital to many other industries and operations. For example:

    • Brine salt purification and recovery
    • Chemical recovery
    • Drinking water softening
    • Landfill leachate treatment
    • Seawater sulfate removal

    Liquid Nanofiltration Solutions From Membrane System Specialists

    Nanofiltration is a low-energy, high-efficiency separation process, which makes it ideal for use in many industrial applications. If you’re looking for a system for your facility, turn to the experts at Membrane System Specialists! We’ve designed and manufactured custom, skid-built processing systems, including membrane filtration systems, for customers in the food and dairy industries for many years. To learn more about our system capabilities, contact us today. To discuss your system specs with one of our team members, request a quote.

  3. How to Calculate Transmembrane Pressure

    Comments Off on How to Calculate Transmembrane Pressure

    Many food and beverage products, such as low-fat/no-fat dairy products and whey proteins, are produced by the membrane filtration process. This process feeds a liquid through a membrane system, which divides the feed into two separate streams. The feed that passes through the synthetic membrane in the filtration system is known as the permeate, whereas the retentate is the material that cannot pass through.

    Food processors use different types of filtration membranes, with the most appropriate type depending on the density of the liquid being separated. Food production usually employs a process called crossflow filtration, in which the feed is continuously recirculated tangentially to the membrane. Crossflow filtration includes filtration techniques that provide greater separation control over feed molecule density and size, such as:

    At Membrane Systems Specialists, we build these systems to assist food processors with developing everyday consumables, such as cheeses, milk, juices and ciders, beer, and wine.

    Pressure is a vital component of the membrane filtration process. Here, we’ll review the concept of transmembrane pressure (TMP), the role it plays in the filtration process, and how to calculate it.

    What is Transmembrane Pressure?

    Transmembrane pressure is the amount of force necessary to push water through a membrane. Each membrane has an ideal TMP based on its material composition. Given that crossflow filtration involves the recirculation of the feed, however, this process is subject to both concentration polarization and membrane fouling.

     

    • Concentration polarization occurs when the feed component concentration increases near or on the membrane’s surface due to TMP but disappears when pressure is removed. Correcting concentration polarization may require adjusting the TMP.
    • Membrane fouling happens when feed components build up on the membrane’s surface and remain after pressure is released. Correcting membrane fouling requires cleaning or replacing the filter.

     

    Both of these phenomena affect the membrane’s filtration effectiveness. By design, membrane filtration systems ensure that a membrane’s TMP remains at or within the normal operating range. When operating within the optimal TMP range, the membrane remains clean and retains its filtering capabilities. A high TMP may indicate a dirty filter.

    Ensuring membrane filtration effectiveness is critical in the food and beverage industry. These filters contain synthetic microscopic pores, measured in Angstroms—an Angstrom equals one hundred-millionth of a centimeter—designed to separate tiny particles. In practice, these filtration mechanisms are volumetrically controlled, as even a small change in TMP can cause concentration polarization, membrane fouling, or contamination.

    How to Calculate Transmembrane Pressure

    TMP is calculated by determining the difference from the average feed pressure and the permeate pressure. Here is the equation for calculating transmembrane pressure:

    In this equation, PTMP represents the transmembrane pressure, Pf represents the feed stream’s inlet pressure, Pc represents the concentrate stream pressure, and Pp represents the permeate stream pressure. All measurements are in kilopascals (kPa)

     In this equation, PTMP represents the transmembrane pressure, Pf represents the feed stream’s inlet pressure, Pc represents the concentrate stream pressure, and Pp represents the permeate stream pressure. All measurements are in kilopascals (kPa).

    TMP may be measured manually by placing a pressure transducer into the feed to obtain the pre-filter pressure, then placing the transducer in the retentate outside the membrane and taking note of the retentate pressure. After averaging the two, the transducer can also be used to measure the filtered fluid inside the membrane.

    Filtration systems let food processors monitor transmembrane pressure in real-time, allowing them to optimize pressure and adjust other variables. Real-time monitoring enables processors to rapidly identify polarization, fouling, and contamination problems so they can quickly resolve issues and avoid unexpected downtime. Failing to monitor TMP can result in production loss, damaged equipment, and lost revenue.

    Custom Filtration From Membrane Systems Specialists

    At Membrane Systems Specialists, our exceptional custom filtration systems can help you achieve the high-volume, high-quality output your business needs. We can design, setup, and install skid-built systems for microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and pasteurization. We also can also integrate Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems with your existing systems. Our systems enable you to remotely control and optimize your filtration processes, ensure your system is functioning properly through pilot testing. We’re happy to provide extensive training and support for the equipment we install.

    To see how our advanced filtration solutions can benefit your operation, please contact us or request a quote today.

  4. Types of Membrane Filtration Materials

    Comments Off on Types of Membrane Filtration Materials

    Micro Particle Filtration Systems

    In the food and beverage industry, membrane filtration is a commonly used process to increase the value of various plant-based and dairy products and facilitate the reuse of water. Many products are produced through the process of membrane filtration, including whey protein concentrate and yogurts. It’s also used to concentrate plant-based proteins and extract water from fruit and milk products for reuse.

    There are several types of materials that are used depending on the membrane filtration method. Here we’ll review these materials and their role in the membrane filtration process.

    Membrane Filtration Materials

    Some of the synthetic materials used in membrane filtration include:

    Polyethersulphone (PES)

    Click to ExpandTypes-of-Membrane-Filtration-Materials

    PES is an inherently hydrophilic membrane that wets out quickly and completely resulting in fast filtration with superior flow rates and high throughputs. PES membrane is also extremely low protein binding minimizing the likelihood of target analyte binding.

    Cellulose Acetate

    A cellulose acetate filtration membrane features a particularly low capacity for protein binding. This durable material is used in membrane filters for its strength, heat resistance of up to 180°C, and ability to undergo sterilization via all membrane filtration methods. Its high-strength structure also prevents any loss of integrity when used.

    Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene)

    Teflon filters form a 3D shape similar to a spider web that consists of billions of microscopic pores. Because of this porous structure, Teflon is ideal for applications requiring non-stick and water-resistant filters for removing particulate from membrane surfaces. This material can collect some of the smallest particles, and it allows for optimal airflow and water entry for reliable filtration.

    Polyamide (Nylon)

    Nylon is highly resistant to solvents and hydrophilic, which makes it viable for filtering water along with organic solvents. The material’s larger pores make it useful for isolating single-celled or certain multicellular organisms such as bacteria and roundworms.

    Cellulose Nitrate (Collodion)

    Cellulose nitrate is often used for quality control in the form of sterile membrane filters. These filters are available in various pore sizes and material blends, with the ability to effectively control microbial growth. Some filters combine cellulose nitrate with cellulose acetate, the latter of which can provide additional thermal stability and higher flow rates. Depending on the color of the filter, it can also provide sufficient contrast to make it easy to identify and qualify microbial colonies.

    Polycarbonate

    Polycarbonate membrane filters are often used for electron or optical microscopy due to their smooth and transparent surface and defined porous structure. In polycarbonate filters, pores are produced through track-etching, allowing for more accurate separation of particles by size and trapping of microorganisms or particles for easy visualization. Polycarbonate filters are suitable for many applications, including microscopy, air monitoring, chemotaxis, cell migration, and particle or cell size fractionation.

    Partner with Membrane System Specialists, Inc.

    Membrane System Specialists, Inc. provides membrane filtration systems and materials to meet your fluid separation needs while complying with strict sanitation standards. Our membrane filtration systems are capable of removing particles from less than 0.001 microns up to 10 microns. We construct our equipment using durable materials that are easy to clean and require minimal maintenance.

    At Membrane Specialists, Inc., we cover every step of the design process to develop the ideal final product based on your specific requirements. We also provide installation, training, commissioning, and support to ensure you get the most from your equipment.

    For more information, or to get started on your membrane filtration solution, contact us or request a quote today.