ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Separation of proteinaceous materials with membranes (ultrafiltration) has been an effective process for some time. However, the problem of membrane fouling, which effects both transport of solutes and solvents plagues ultrafiltration and substantially reduces both the process performance and predictability. The physical mechanisms of membrane fouling involve a buildup of protein on the external as well as the internal pore surface of the asymmetric membrane. As a result, the effective pore size and porosity of the membrane decrease, resulting in an alternation in membrane performance. This can be observed in both the permeate flux and the sieving capabilities of the membrane [1-8]. The flux decline for both solute and solvent is initially very rapid and then gradually reduces in rate over time. Figure 1 illustrates a typical solute flux reduction that is often observed in membrane separation of protein.
