title: Cleaning efficiency enhancement by ultrasounds for membranes used in dairy industries.
abstract: Membrane cleaning is a key point for the implementation of membrane technologies in the dairy industry for proteins concentration. In this study, four ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with different molecular weight cut-offs (MWCOs) (5, 15, 30 and 50kDa) and materials (polyethersulfone and ceramics) were fouled with three different whey model solutions: bovine serum albumin (BSA), BSA plus CaCl2 and whey protein concentrate solution (Renylat 45). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasounds (US) on the membrane cleaning efficiency. The influence of ultrasonic frequency and the US application modes (submerging the membrane module inside the US bath or applying US to the cleaning solution) were also evaluated. The experiments were performed in a laboratory plant which included the US equipment and the possibility of using two membrane modules (flat sheet and tubular). The fouling solution that caused the highest fouling degree for all the membranes was Renylat 45. Results demonstrated that membrane cleaning with US was effective and this effectiveness increased at lower frequencies. Although no significant differences were observed between the two different US applications modes tested, slightly higher cleaning efficiencies values placing the membrane module at the bottom of the tank were achieved.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Seguridad Industrial, Radiofísica y Medioambiental, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera, s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain. Electronic address: malufa@etsii.upv.es.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Luján-Facundo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Seguridad Industrial, Radiofísica y Medioambiental, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera, s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Roca
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Seguridad Industrial, Radiofísica y Medioambiental, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera, s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cuartas-Uribe
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Seguridad Industrial, Radiofísica y Medioambiental, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera, s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Blanco
mesh_terms: D003612:Dairying; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D014462:Ultrafiltration; D014465:Ultrasonics; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine
keywords: Fouling; Membrane cleaning; Model dairy solutions; Ultrafiltration; Ultrasounds