Experimental analysis of flux decline mechanism of batch ultrafiltration (filtration characteristics of gel layer)

In order to make the so-called membrane fouling phenomena during ultrafiltration clearer, it is Important to visualise, by any means, the characteristics of the gel layer formed on the membrane surface. Unstirred dead-end ultrafiltration experiments were conducted under constant pressure, by using a newly-designed batchwise filter which had a sudden change in its filtration area. The variation in gel cake thickness with time, was determined on the basis of experimental measurements and then the overall characteristic values, such as the average specific filtration resistance, average porosity and the ratio of wet to dry cake mass were calculated on the basis of experimentally determined gel cake thickness. It has become evident that the relationship between filtration characteristics and operating conditions can be thoroughly analysed on the same basis as the conventional cake filtration theories or concept.