The use of ultrasonic cleaning for ultrafiltration membranes in the dairy industry

Abstract

The ultrafiltration of whey solutions is a common feature of dairy processes. However, the frequent fouling of ultrafiltration membranes and the subsequent cleaning cycle significantly affect the economics of such a process. In this work, we investigated the effect of ultrasonics on the cleaning of whey-fouled membranes and examined the variables that influence this effect. Experiments were conducted using a small single sheet membrane unit that was immersed totally within an ultrasonic bath. Results show that the use of ultrasonics enhances the flux recovery following fouling. The extent of flux recovery is independent of the length of sonication time and increases with ultrasonic power. Th..