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Coupling of local visualization and numerical approach for particle microfiltration optimization

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Abstract

The performance of the microfiltration process is controlled by the filter fouling due to the accumulation of solid matter forming a cake layer on the membrane surface. The objective of this work is to study the cake build up and growth at the particle level and to establish correlations with microfiltration performance measured at the process scale. A theoretical model coupling Navier–Stokes equation, convective/diffusion particle transport and deposit formation is developed to simulate a sequence of microfiltration in a confined geometry (Comsol Multyphysics®). This model is used to make predictive simulations of cake growth during the filtration of diluted particles in the range of size of microorganism (5 μm). In the same time a specific filtration micro-system including an optical chamber and a microsieve (Aquamarijn®) filtration membrane is designed in order to perform an experimental approach allowing in situ 3D-visualization of a deposit of model particles (polystyrene fluorescent microspheres) using Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Based on image analysis, the cake building and properties (particle arrangement, thickness) are analyzed. These experimental data will be further used to improve the filtration model in order to obtain a predictive tool for process optimization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Paul Duru from the Fluid Mechanic Institute of Toulouse (IMFT) and Aurélie Le Ru from FR3450 confocal platform (Auzeville France) for their technical support. The financial support from “Franco-Tunisian Integrated Action of French Foreign and European office and Tunisian Higher Education and Scientific Research office” is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, Université de Toulouse, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, 31077, Toulouse, France

    Ines Ben Hassan, Christine Lafforgue, Christophe Ellero & Philippe Schmitz

  2. UMR792 Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, INRA, 31400, Toulouse, France

    Ines Ben Hassan, Christine Lafforgue, Christophe Ellero & Philippe Schmitz

  3. CNRS, UMR5504, 31400, Toulouse, France

    Ines Ben Hassan, Christine Lafforgue, Christophe Ellero & Philippe Schmitz

  4. LRAE (Laboratoire Radio Analyses et Environnement), Université de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisie

    Ines Ben Hassan & Abdelmoneim Ayadi

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  1. Ines Ben Hassan
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  2. Christine Lafforgue
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  3. Christophe Ellero
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  4. Abdelmoneim Ayadi
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  5. Philippe Schmitz
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Correspondence to Christine Lafforgue.

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Ben Hassan, I., Lafforgue, C., Ellero, C. et al. Coupling of local visualization and numerical approach for particle microfiltration optimization. Microsyst Technol 21, 509–517 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-013-1906-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-013-1906-9

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