Microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsions

Effects of transmembrane pressure and membrane pore size on the microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsions are reported. A model for calculating the critical pressure required to force the entry of an oil drop into a membrane pore is formulated based on the Young-Laplace equation and serves as the basis for analyzing the rejection of emulsified materials by microfiltration membranes. This critical pressure appears to be a reasonable predictor of the operating pressure at which oil drops are no longer rejected by the membrane and their penetration leads to membrane fouling.

Duke Scholars

Author Mark Wiesner Civil and Environmental Engineering