Study on Separation of Water and Alumina Fine Particles by Cross-Flow Microfiltration

A cross-flow microfiltration process had been developed to separate alumina fine particles from the suspension using a stainless steel membrane tube with a pore size of 10 mu m. The influence of cross-flow velocity and trans-membrane pressure on the permeate flux and the solid holdup in permeate had been investigated. It was found that both the permeate flux and the solid holdup in permeate decreased with time. Moreover, the permeate flux increased with an increasing transmembrane pressure but the influence of cross-flow velocity on the permeate flux was quite complex. Both the permeate flux and the solid holdup in permeate in long term filtration had been studied. The operation of cross-flow microfiltration could be carried out stably for 10 hours with the permeate flux values ranging from 520.5 to 936 L/(m(2).h) at r(s)=1%, while it could continue in 10 hours with the permeate flux values ranging from 226 to 432 L/(m(2).h) at r(s)=5%. The solid holdup in permeate had been less than 10 mg/L during the whole operating cycle.