Abstract

Background: Nanoporous filtering membranes can be used for super purification including a liquid-liquid separation. It is the aim of engineers to design these membranes with good filtration capabilities, high fluxes and satisfying mechanical strengths. Realistic membranes need to have a balance among these performances to achieve satisfactory overall performances.

Objective: The study aims to show a tree-type cylindrical-shaped nanoporous filtering membrane with good characteristics.

Methods: According to the principle of the nanotube tree for transportation presented previously, here the design method of a tree-type cylindrical shaped nanoporous filtering membrane is presented and the flow resistances of this membrane have been calculated for varying operational parameter values.

Results: It is shown that the invented membrane possesses nanoscale filtration pores and larger flow-resistance-reducing pores. These pores are densely evenly distributed on the membrane surface. The membrane practically has a low flow resistance and thus a high flux if its thickness is as small as possible. It can also be used for a liquid-liquid separation if the mixed liquids have largely different interactions with the pore walls of the membrane.

Conclusion: By an appropriate design, the invented membrane has a good overall performance including the capabilities of super purification or a liquid-liquid separation, the high flux and a satisfactory mechanical strength.

Keywords: Membrane, nanopore, filtration, separation, design, resistances.

Graphical Abstract