Optimizing Flux Capacity of Dead-end Filtration Membranes by Controlling Flow with Pulse Width Modulated Periodic Backflush

Standard dead-end sample filtration is used to improve sample purity, but is limited as particle build-up fouls the filter, leading to reduced recovery. The fouling layer can be periodically cleared with backflush algorithms applied through a customized fluidic actuator using variable duty cycles, s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2020-01, Vol.10 (1), p.896-896, Article 896
Main Authors: Enten, Aaron C., Leipner, Matthew P. I., Bellavia, Michael C., King, Lillian E., Sulchek, Todd A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
13/31
631/1647/2230
639/166/985
639/705/1042
Engineering
Filtration
Flow control
Flow velocity
Fluctuations
Fouling
Humanities and Social Sciences
Immune response
Laboratories
Mathematical models
Membranes
Microspheres
multidisciplinary
Polystyrene
Purification
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Uniform flow
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Summary:Standard dead-end sample filtration is used to improve sample purity, but is limited as particle build-up fouls the filter, leading to reduced recovery. The fouling layer can be periodically cleared with backflush algorithms applied through a customized fluidic actuator using variable duty cycles, significantly improving particulate recovery percentage. We show a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) process can periodically backflush the filter membrane to repeatedly interrupt cake formation and reintegrate the fouling layer into the sample, improving net permeate flux per unit volume of sample by partially restoring filter flux capacity. PWM flow for 2.19 um (targeted) and 7.32 um (untargeted) polystyrene microbeads produced 18-fold higher permeate concentration, higher recovery up to 68.5%, and an 8-fold enrichment increase, compared to a uniform flow. As the duty cycle approaches 50%, the recovery percentage monotonically increases after a critical threshold. Further, we developed and validated a mathematical model to determine that fast, small-volume backflush pulses near 50% duty cycle yield higher recovery by decreasing fouling associated with the cake layer. Optimized PWM flow was then used to purify custom particles for immune activation, achieving 3-fold higher recovery percentage and providing a new route to improve purification yields for diagnostic and cellular applications.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-57649-9