Patent · US Expired

Method for the removal of components causing turbidity, from a fluid, by means of microfiltration

US5560828A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
10References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1994
Grant dateOct 1, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01D2321/2066
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the removal of components causing turbidity, from a fluid, by means of microfiltration, whereby the fluid is beer, wine, fruit juice, bacterial suspension, blood, milk, enzyme suspension, etc. According to the invention, the fluid to be treated is fed across an asymmetric membrane having a pore structure such that the pores on the feed side of the membrane are larger than the nominal pore size and the pores of nominal pore size occur in the cross section toward the permeate side, the filtered off components are back-flushed from the membrane and are subsequently carried away with the fluid. The nominal pore size is usually 0.1-5.0 .mu.m and preferably 0.2-1.0 .mu.m. The membrane may be tubular, flat or capillary. Back-flushing takes place intermittently with a frequency of 1 second to 10 minutes for 0.1-1 second at a counter pressure of 0.5-5 bar. The feed velocity is preferably below 2 m/s and the pressure difference over the membrane is less than 0.5 bar.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.