Influence of Two-Phase Liquid-Gas Flow on Permeate Flux through Ceramic Membranes

The impact of two-phase flow onto the flux of the permeate in microfiltration of two sorbents-Bentonite and Lewatit S1468-with and without adsorbed zinc, was examined. Two different types of membrane, single-and multi-channel, based on α-Al₂O₃, were used. In single-channel membrane application of aeration increased the permeate flux by 13 and 29% without adsorbed zinc and by 22 and 25% with adsorbed zinc for Bentonite suspension and by 4 and 5.5% both with and without adsorbed zinc for Lewatit S1468 compared to single-phase (without aeration) flow at 1.4 and 2.2 m s^-1 of the gaseous phase rate, respectively. In multi-channel membrane the permeate flux increased not significantly without adsorbed zinc and by 22 and 25% with adsorbed zinc for Bentonite and by 12 and 13% without adsorbed zinc and not significantly with adsorbed zinc for Lewatit S1468 at 0.4 and 1.1 m s^-1 of the gaseous phase rate, respectively.