HIGH-TECH LABCOURSES

HIGH-TECH

LABCOURSES

Membrane ultrafiltration processes and rheological behaviour of aqueous colloidal suspensions

The purpose of this lab course is to give Master students the opportunity to discover the mechanisms involved in membrane ultrafiltration processes in relation with the rheological behavior of the aqueous filtered suspensions. During the filtration process under shear flow and pressure forces, the filtered particles accumulate near the membrane surface forming a concentrated layer of a few hundred micrometers. The changes from a dilute phase to a concentrated phase induce a change in the rheological behavior of the suspensions which control the performance of the process. The proposed approach, is to combine the characterization of the filtration properties of the suspensions, the in-situ visualization of the accumulated layers and the rheometric behavior of the suspensions. The goal is to understand the principal mechanisms governing the ultrafiltration process used in several industrial applications, bio- and agro-industries, chemical industries, pharmaceutical, nuclear, as well as water and sludge treatment.


PREREQUISITE

This lab-course is well suited to M1 and M2 students having a background in fluid mechanics, chemical engineering, and some knowledge on particles suspensions properties and theirs rheological behaviour.



DESCRIPTION

Mechanisms involved during membrane ultrafiltration processes of aqueous dispersions in relation with theirs rheological properties at increasing concentrations.

8 hrs session

Membrane Ultrafiltration Set-up combined with in-situ Small Angle Light Scattering (SALS)
Membrane Ultrafiltration Set-up combined with in-situ Small Angle Light Scattering (SALS)

Aqueous clay or cellulose nanocrystal suspensions, composed of nanometric sized particles (a few nm in diameter and hundreds nanometer in length) will be studied bymembrane ultrafiltration processes. This ultrafiltration set-up will allow to characterize the filtration properties of the suspensions (permeation flux) as a function of time and external applied forces (transmembrane pressure). Simultaneously the structural characterization of the deposit will be observed inside the filtration canal in the accumulated layers above the membrane, thanks to Small-angle Light Scattering (SALS). In parallel, the rheological behavior of the suspensions will be characterized as a function of the particles concentrations, thanks to rheometric measurements. Theoretical modelling of the ultrafiltration process will be addressed to highlight the link between the rheological behavior and the filtration performance.


LOCATION

Laboratory LRP

363 rue de la chimie

(see map below)