Effects of periodic backflushing with filtrate on filtration performance in an internal-filtration bioreactor

Abstract

Periodic backflushing of tubular ceramic membrane filters with filtrate was employed to alleviate membrane fouling in a bioreactor with internal-filtration. As the model system, yeast fermentation was dealt with in this study. There existed optimum backflushing interval and time to give a maximum flux recovery. At 16 g/l of yeast cell concentration, the mean flux increased about 2.5 times by using such repeated operation cycles as consisted of 4.53 minutes for filtration, 4.5 seconds for intermission, and 40 seconds for backflushing. Effects of aeration, agitation speed, and yeast cell concentration were also investigated.