UF membranes, or ultrafiltration membranes, are semi-porous membranes used to separate suspended solids and large molecules from a liquid. The liquid is forced through membranes. Because of the pore size of the material, the liquid and small particles flow through the membrane module while the larger particles remain behind. Ultrafiltration is commonly used to purify and concentrate solutions. Some of the more common applications for them are described below.
Brine Clarification - The dairy industry uses it to clarify, and thus reuse, the brine solution generated during cheese curing processes. Rather than disposing of this solution and incurring disposal costs, the brine is clarified and reused.Whey Protein Concentration and Isolation - The dairy industry also uses spiral-wound membranes in whey protein concentrate and isolate production. Cheese whey, a byproduct of cheese production which is often disposed of at great cost, contains whey protein which has become a desirable product in its own right. Instead of disposing of this cheese byproduct, many dairies use them to separate and concentrate whey protein. Thus, they can market another product - one that would've previously been thrown away.Milk Protein Concentration and Isolation - The dairy industry uses membranes to concentrate milk proteins from skim milk.Protein Fractionation and Separation - UF membranes are used to separate whey and casein protein.Disinfecting Drinking Water and Water Purification - Passing drinking water through a membrane module made of membranes is an effective means of removing viruses. UF membranes are also used to purify water.Clarifying Fruit Juice - UF membranes are commonly used to clarify fruit juice by separating particles that would otherwise make the juice appear cloudy.Paint Solids Recovery - UF membranes are used by the paint industry to recover paint solids and clean systems.Other Uses - UF membranes are also used to concentrate or recover antibodies, vaccines, and biotech proteins; to desalt proteins; to treat industrial wastewater; and in dialysis.Types of UF MembranesUF membranes are typically offered as either pressurized or immersed systems. With pressurized systems, a pump is used to pressurize the feed solution; meanwhile, the permeate remains at atmospheric pressure. With an immersed system, membranes are immersed in the feed solution; a pump is used to create suction on the permeate side. UF membrane modules come in different configurations. Some of the more common types are:
Hollow fiber - A hollow fiber membrane module contains small tubes or fibers. The feed solution flows through the tubes. The permeate collects in the cartridge surrounding the tubes.Tubular - With a tubular membrane module, the feed solution flows through the tube while the permeate collects in the housing.Spiral wound - With a spiral wound membrane module, several membrane layers are spiral wound around a tube which provides more surface area.Cleaning UF Membranes Many membrane modules can be "cleaned in place" or sanitized without the use of chlorine. For example, the Ultrafiltration Compatibility Coefficient (UFCC) evaluation, which is commonly used to compare UF performance for paint applications, indicates cleaning frequency. Membranes with a UFCC rating of.95 or above generally do not require cleaning while those rated.80 to.95 may require cleaning one or two times per year.
Travis is the author of this article on what UF membranes are used for. He informs his readers the benefits of ultrafiltration membranes and membrane modules have on different industries. In his free time he enjoys writing articles and volunteering at community events. Rate this ArticleWhat are UF Membranes Used For?Not Rated YetTravis Radford has published 12 articles. Article submitted on September 10, 2013. Word count: 505Understanding exactly what the subjunctive is and what it used for is confusing for many English speakers. The reason for this is that the subjunctive is rarely used in English.
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