COMPARATIVE STUDY of DIFFERENT REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANES FOR PROCESSING DAIRY FLUIDS: I. PERMEATE FLUX and TOTAL SOLIDS REJECTION STUDIES

Abstract
Permeate fluxes and rejection coefficients (total solids) were measured for five different reverse osmosis membranes used to concentrate whole and skim milks and acid and sweet wheys. Cellulose acetate and thin film composite membranes were employed in both tubular and spiral-wound configurations. Variations in permeate flux and total solids rejection coefficients in response to changes in process operating conditions (temperature, feedstock, hydrostatic pressure/flow rate) were analyzed to assess the significance of the effects of these process parameters. All data were recorded under total recycle conditions so as to maintain a constant feed composition.