Metallic membrane ultrafiltration system

The concept of producing clarified fruit juice by a single pass of enzyme-treated fruit puree through a tubular, metallic ultrafiltration membrane system was recently described by Thomas et al. (5, 6). The process is known commercially as the Ultrapress process, since pressing and ultrafiltration are accomplished simultaneously (7). The metallic membrane ultrafiltration system is composed of sintered stainless steel tubes of varying diameters with membranes formed-in-place within the porous matrix of the tubes by deposition of various metallic oxides. Metallic oxides in combination with polymers are also possible. 

Zirconia membranes on carbon supports were originally developed by Union Carbide. Ultrafiltration membranes are commercially available now under trade names like Ucarsep and Carbosep. Their outstanding quality is their high chemical resistance which allows steam sterilization and cleaning procedures in the pH range 0-14 at temperatures up to 80°C. These systems consist of a sintered carbon tube with an ultrafiltration layer of a metallic oxide, usually zirconia. Typical tube dimensions are 10 mm (outer diameter) with a wall thickness of 2 mm (Gerster and Veyre 1985). 

Asymmetrical flow-FFFA (A-Fl-FFF) was introduced by Wahlund and Giddings in 1987 [47]. The same system was independently suggested slightly earlier by Granger et al. [237,248], but their application of the technique suffered from a lack of a primary relaxation step preceding separation [47]. A-Fl-FFF is notable for a channel which has only one permeable wall so that the solvent can leave the channel only via the accumulation wall and thus generates a cross-flow. The permeable wall is usually a sintered metal plate or ceramic frit covered by an ultrafiltration membrane (see Fig. 20). 

A solution containing the metal ion to be extracted and a water-soluble polymer is delivered into an ultrafiltration unit (Figure 29.5). The feed stream, upstream of the UF system, is adequately stirred to enhance recovery of the radioactive ions. The metallic macromolecular complex is retained while low-molecular-weight solutes pass through the membrane. The efficiency of the process is mainly characterized by the passage of each species through the membrane. The transfer coefficient of a given solute, i, is defined by... 

Since then, other colloidal oxide systems have been investigated in order to prepare ceramic mesoporous membranes designed for ultrafiltration. The preparation of an electronically conductive membrane from a Ru02 Ti02 mixed oxides sol and the application to an electro-ultrafiltration process [25,26], as well as the preparation of titania and zirconia ultrafiltration membranes [27], have been described following a colloidal process in which a partial destabilization of a metal oxide colloidal suspension is used to produce top layers with different pore size and pore volume in the mesoporous range. In agreement... 

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