Simulations of a dielectrophoretic membrane filtration process for removal of water droplets from water-in-oil emulsions

A novel separation technique based on simultaneous application of AC dielectrophoresis and preferential transport through a semipermeable hydrophilic membrane is proposed for separation of small amounts of emulsified water droplets from a water-in-oil emulsion. Embedding an array of parallel microelectrodes on a membrane matrix, followed by application of an AC potential to these electrodes, can result in capturing the water droplets onto the membranes from the emulsion during a crossflow filtration process. The present paper describes the theoretical principles underlying such a process, and describes a simple mathematical framework based on trajectory analysis for assessing the separation efficiency of such a technique. The results indicate that superimposition of an AC dielectrophoretic field can significantly enhance the preferential transport of the emulsified water through the membrane in a crossflow filtration device. This can lead to a highly efficient continuous separation process for dilute emulsions.