High-shear crossflow filtration

Instead of using a furrowed or dimpled membrane support plate, Sobey [41] observed that a single flow deflector in a flat membrane channel could produce many vortices under oscillatory flow conditions, an effect named the vortex wave. An important feature of the vortex wave is that it could occur under low crossflow velocity conditions or with laminar flow so that it can be used for shear-sensitive fluids. Millward et al. [42] tested the effect of vortex waves on plasma filtration with waves produced by flow deflectors with cross-sectional area of 1 x 1 mm in a 2.25 mm high channel as shown in Figure 8.22. The aim was to improve membrane applications for the separation of plasma from cellular blood components for both donor... 

---