Theoretical analysis of the effect of membrane morphology on fouling during microfiltration

Previous studies of membrane fouling have often employed one of the classic al blocking laws to describe the variation of filtrate flux with time. Howe ver, these models implicitly assume that the membrane has straight-through noninterconnected pores, even though most commercial microfiltration and ul trafiltration membranes have a highly interconnected pore structure. We hav e developed a theoretical model for the effects of pore blockage on the flu id velocity and pressure profiles within membranes having different interco nnected pore structures assuming Darcy flow in the porous membrane. Model c alculations are in good agreement with filtrate flux data obtained during p rotein microfiltration using membranes with very different pore morphologie s. The results clearly demonstrate that the membrane pore connectivity has a significant influence on the flux decline due to the possibility for flui d to flow around the pore blockage, an effect which has been ignored in pre vious studies.