ULTRAFILTRATION

Driving potential: Hydraulic pressure difference

The effect of osmotic pressure is minimal
 For NaCl solutions, filtrate flux increases linearly with hydraulic pressure .
For serum solution, filtrate flux increases with the hydraulic pressure for lower
pressures.
It becomes independent of hydraulic pressure at higher values of pressure.
 In the early stages, thickness of gel layer increases with time.
Afyer steady state has been reached, the solite diffuses back from gel layer surface
to the bulk of solution.
Dynamic balance: the rate of back-diffusion of solute equals the rate of solute
carried by the bulk of solution toward the membrane.
MICROFILTRATION

Used to filter very small particles (<10 microns)

Ex: separation of microorganisms from their suspension, separation of blood cells
from the blood
Driving potential: pressure difference
Microfiltration flix is afgected by fluid velocity