NET-TYPE SPACERS - EFFECT OF CONFIGURATION ON FLUID-FLOW PATH AND ULTRAFILTRATION FLUX

Ultrafiltration of dextran T-300 and T-500 solutions was performed in a flat channel fitted with various net-type spacers to examine the effect of spacer configuration on the fluid flow path and flux and to identify optimal spacer configurations. It was found that the size and location of filaments positioned transverse to flow is as important to flux enhancement as angle of flow diversion induced by the spacers. Furthermore, it has been established that spacers which induce no directional flow changes (theta = 0-degrees) and with transverse filaments perpendicular to flow, adjacent to the membrane, perform better than spacers characterized by zigzag flow path (with the comparison based on the same voidage).