Influence of Ceramic Membrane Surface Characteristics on the Flux Behavior of a Complex Fermentation Broth

Abstract

The valorization of agro-industrial residues using yeasts as biocatalysts requires efficient methods for biomass separation. Filtration with ceramic membranes is suitable for this task, however, the challenge of flux decline and the unavoidable cleaning must be taken into account. We investigated the filtration of fermentation broth and its components using tubular microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes, and hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes, with cut-offs of 30 and 200 nm. The steady-state flux was limited by fouling under comparable wall shear stress conditions but increased when the wall shear stress was higher. Single-component filtration with two 30 nm tubular ultrafiltration membranes, whose average surface roughness ranged from 1.0 to 3.9 µm, showed that smoother surfaces experience less biomass fouling under more intense hydrodynamic conditions. Furthermore, we showed experimentally and by scanning electron microscopy in filtration with 30 nm tubular membranes that the thickness of the first separation layer is responsible for the degree of irreversible resistance caused by the deposition of organic material in the membrane pores. The thickness of this layer should therefore be minimized without compromising mechanical stability.

The Application of Cellulose Acetate Membranes for Separation of Fermentation Broths by the Reverse Osmosis: A Feasibility Study

“…Indeed, reliable and adequate pre-treatment of fermentation broths plays a critical role in ensuring their appropriate quality for RO technology and thus improving membranes performance. It has been widely documented that microorganisms and large particles can be successfully removed from fermentation broths by microfiltration (MF) [ 71 , 72 , 73 ] and ultrafiltration (UF) processes [ 6 , 23 , 74 , 75 , 76 ].…”

Separation and Purification of Vanillin and Syringaldehyde from an Oxidized Kraft Liquor – A Mini Review

“…Ceramic membranes offer desirable properties that make them wellsuited for the treatment of black liquor and sulfite liquor due to their high chemical resistance, as well as their thermal and mechanical stability [87]. In addition, ceramic membranes can not only be used under very extreme process and feed conditions, but they can also be efficiently regenerated by different methods (chemical cleaning and backflushing) [92]. Several ceramic membrane-bases processes for the recovery and concentration of lignin-containing solutions have been developed over the last decades [87,88,93,94].…”

Recent Advances in Membranes Used for Nanofiltration to Remove Heavy Metals from Wastewater: A Review

“…In order for a polymer to become super hydrophilic, the treatment must affect surface roughness or be applied simultaneously with surface roughening [ 85 ]. Increasing the surface roughness will decrease the strength of the NF membrane due to the thinning of the outer separation layer and, at the same time, the NF membrane [ 86 ]. Various coating techniques have been employed to modify the surface wetting, including dip coating, sol-gel, thermal, layer-by-layer assembly, electrospinning, electrodeposition, ion beam irradiation, femtosecond laser irradiation, spin coating, plasma irradiation, chemical vapor deposition, and spray coating.…”