Combined effects of operational parameters on electro-ultrafiltration process characteristics

The aim of the present study was to identify the influence of process parameters and their interactions on the electro-ultrafiltration performance during the filtration of alumina suspensions at low cross-flow rates. Overall, a weak flux-pressure dependence was observed in the absence of an electric field, indicating mass transfer limitation. A clear enhancement of flux was achieved by superimposing an electric field on the transmembrane pressure. As the feed pH increased from the acidic range to the vicinity of the isoelectric point of the particles, the beneficial effect of the electric field on permeate flux decreased significantly. Statistical analyses showed that in addition to the experimental parameters, some of their interactions were quite influential for determining the performance of the electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) process. Thus, the electric field induced flux enhancement became less pronounced as the initial ionic strength of the feed solution increased. In addition, the three studied response factors were noticed to be interrelated, whereby inevitable pH and conductivity changes associated with the electrode reactions during the electrofiltration process were also important in determining the permeate flux and quality. Overall, the results indicated that a clear understanding of the EUF performance is only possible when considering different effects (such as flux improvement and pH shift) simultaneously. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.