Performance of slotted pores in particle manufacture using rotating membrane emulsification

This paper addresses the use of different slotted pores in rotating membrane emulsification technology. Pores of square and rectangular shapes were studied to understand the effect of aspect ratio (1-3.5) and their orientation on oil droplet formation. Increasing the membrane rotation speed decreased the droplet size, and the oil droplets produced were more uniform using slotted pores as compared to circular geometry. At a given rotation speed, the droplet size was mainly determined by the pore size and the fluid velocity of oil through the pore (pore fluid velocity). The ratio of droplet diameter to the equivalent diameter of the slotted pore increased with the pore fluid velocity. At a given pore fluid velocity and rotation speed, pore orientation significantly influences the droplet formation rate: horizontally disposed pores (with their longer side perpendicular to the membrane axis) generate droplets at double the rate of vertically disposed pores. This work indicates practical benefits in the use of slotted membranes over conventional methods. (C) 2009 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.