TY - JOUR
T1 - Network-based membrane filters
T2 - Influence of network and pore size variability on filtration performance
AU - Gu, B.
AU - Kondic, L.
AU - Cummings, L. J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This document is the results of the research project funded by the National Science Foundation, United States , Grant No. DMS-1615719 .
Funding Information:
This work was supported by NSF, United States Grant Nos. DMS-1615719 and DMS-2133255 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/9/5
Y1 - 2022/9/5
N2 - We model porous membrane filters as networks of connected cylindrical pores via a random network generation protocol, and their initial pore radii via a uniform distribution of widths that vary about some mean value. We investigate the influence of network and pore size (radius) variations on the performance of membrane filters that undergo adsorptive fouling. We find that membrane porosity variations, independently of whether induced by variations of the pore radii or of the random pore network, are an important factor determining membrane filter performance. Network and pore size variations still play a role, in particular if pore radii variations are significant. To quantify the influence of these variations, we compare the performance metrics of networks built from pores of variable radii to their (equal porosity) counterparts built from pores of uniform radius. We show that the effect of pore radii variations is to increase throughput, but also to reduce foulant control.
AB - We model porous membrane filters as networks of connected cylindrical pores via a random network generation protocol, and their initial pore radii via a uniform distribution of widths that vary about some mean value. We investigate the influence of network and pore size (radius) variations on the performance of membrane filters that undergo adsorptive fouling. We find that membrane porosity variations, independently of whether induced by variations of the pore radii or of the random pore network, are an important factor determining membrane filter performance. Network and pore size variations still play a role, in particular if pore radii variations are significant. To quantify the influence of these variations, we compare the performance metrics of networks built from pores of variable radii to their (equal porosity) counterparts built from pores of uniform radius. We show that the effect of pore radii variations is to increase throughput, but also to reduce foulant control.
KW - Filter pore networks
KW - Membrane fouling
KW - Network modeling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132219503&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85132219503&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120668
DO - 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120668
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85132219503
SN - 0376-7388
VL - 657
JO - Journal of Membrane Science
JF - Journal of Membrane Science
M1 - 120668
ER -