• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.338-348
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• 2005

The permeate flux decline on microfiltration capillary membrane operation was investigated with inorganic colloidal solutions. The permeate flux of the alumina solution is two times higher in average than that of the bentonite solution. The flux decline with increase in operation time was less in the alumina solution than in the bentonite solution. The rate of initial flux decline until 10 min was higher on the bentonite solution over the alumina solution. The decline in permeate flux was due to both the cake formation and the pore blocking. The latter effect was higher in the operation of the bentonite solution. In comparing the ratio of each fouling component to the total fouling fur the $1.0\;kg_f/cm^2$ TMP condition, complete blocking was $9.35\%$, standard blocking was about $6.82\%$ and cake filtration was $83.83\%$, respectively. With the increase in cross flow velocity, the permeate flux increased by $6.0\%$ for the alumina solution and by 14.0 for the bentonite solution. With the increase in average pore size fromm $0.24\;{\mu}m\;to\;0.34\;{\mu}m$, the permeate flux increases 1.61 times for the alumina solution and 1.76 times far the bentonite solution.