Membrane Technology
TORAY Membrane technology In the dairy industry, membrane technology is primarily associated with: All of the following techniques feature cross-flow membrane filtration, where the feed solution is forced through the membrane under pressure. The solution flows over a membrane and the filtrate is removed while the solids (unretained portion) are retained. Membranes are categorized by their molecular weight limit, which is the molecular weight of the smallest molecule that will not pass through the membrane. However, due to various interactions, a membrane cannot be selected solely based on its molecular weight limit. It should be noted that traditional or conventional filtration, also called dead-end filtration, is generally used to separate suspended particles larger than 10 µm, while membrane filtration separates substances with molecular sizes smaller than 10-4 µm.
Reverse Osmosis:
- Reverse osmosis is a process that separates water and dissolved salts through a membrane under high pressure.
- The membrane allows water molecules to pass through, while retaining dissolved substances such as larger molecules and ions.
- Used in desalination, water treatment, drinking water production, and industrial processes.
Ultrafiltration:
- Ultrafiltration is a membrane filtration process used to separate larger molecules (e.g. proteins, polymers) and suspensions from water.
- The membrane has micron-sized pores and typically retains particles between 0.01 and 0.1 microns.
- Used in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing, wastewater treatment, and other processes.
Nanofiltration:
- Nanofiltration is a membrane filtration technique that provides a cross between ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. Concentration of organic components by partial removal of monovalent ions such as sodium and chlorine (demineralization)
- The membrane has pores of nano size and can generally retain particles between 0.001 and 0.01 microns.
- It is used in applications such as softening of salts, decolorization, organic matter removal.
Microfiltration :
- Mikrofiltrasyon, büyük moleküllerin (örneğin bakteriler, mayalar) ve süspansiyonların sıvıdan ayrılması için kullanılan bir membran teknolojisidir.
- Membran, daha büyük gözeneklere sahiptir (genellikle 0.1 ila 10 mikron arası) ve genellikle sıvıların sterilizasyonunda veya arıtılmasında kullanılır.
- Gıda, içecek, ilaç, biyoteknoloji ve diğer endüstriyel uygulamalarda kullanılır.
These membrane technologies are used as important tools for purifying, concentrating or processing liquids in different applications. Each technology enables the separation of different types of molecules depending on the pore size and selectivity of the membrane.
