Dimensional analysis of permeation flux for microfiltration of oily wastewaters using mullite ceramic membranes Original Research Article

One of the treatment techniques used for oil separation from oily wastewaters is membrane filtration. Dimensional analysis of steady state and unsteady state permeation flux was studied for microfiltration (MF) of synthetic oily wastewaters using mullite ceramic membranes. Mullite membranes were synthesized from kaolin clay as MF ceramic membranes. In order to determine the optimum operating conditions, 250-3000 ppm condensate gas in water emulsions were employed as synthetic oily wastewater. In steady state condition, three dimensionless numbers were definded as shear stress, resistance and Reynolds numbers. The shear stress number (NS) compares shear stress at the membrane surface with pressure, while the resistance number (Nf) compares convective crossflow transport with derived transport through a layer, whose resistance is sum of all the resistances induced by different processes which limit mass transport.