The purpose of this paper is to review most recent separation techniques utilizing dialysis membrane, filtration membrane and liquid membrane with respect to mass transport.
The boundary film formed on dialysis membrane plays an important role in mass transport, which is probably a rate-determing step for solutes with small molecular weight. Current modules for hemodialysis are modified for the decrease of mass transfer resistance caused by the film.
In the case of recently available dialyzers, the ratio of membrane permeability (P
m) to reciprocal of mass transfer resistance through the film (Kb) is 0.248 for urea. However, P
m/K
b is 1.10 in an out dated module.
Pore theory will predict the desirable structure for hemodialysis membrane, which is 10 μm or less in thickness, 80 A in pore diameter and 0. 15 in ratio of total cross-sectional pore area to effective membrane area.
Filtration properties are generally related to the formation of concentration polarization and gel layer on the membrane surface, which may be eliminated to some extent by the use of pulsatile flow. The movement of red blood cells is not effective for tearing off each layer because they have a tendency for being concentrated mainly at the axial side.
There are a few researches on the mass transfer through the liquid membranes, though, the application of the liquid membrane to the high performance separation has attracted special interest recently. The problems of the operation with the liquid membrane are membrane break up and demulsification. Especially, the demusification process is one of the important subject for a future study.
抄録全体を表示