Comparisons between membranes for use in cross flow membrane emulsification

Emulsification is an important process, particularly in food production. Membrane emulsification attempts to improve on traditional emulsification methods by producing each droplet singly. Cross flow membrane emulsification uses the flow of the continuous phase to detach droplets from the membrane pores. Different factors were investigated, including the effects of cross flow velocity, trans-membrane pressure, and emulsifier concentration. The effects of using different membrane materials and morphologies were directly compared. The trans-membrane pressure was found to have a large effect on the diameter (D[4,3]) of the droplets, with similar results for all the studied membrane types. Increasing the pressure increases droplet sizes, and can be related to the different mechanisms of droplet detachment from the membrane. An increase in the linear cross flow velocity was shown to cause a decrease in the diameter of the produced droplets. The different membranes each have different characteristics.

► We examine cross-flow velocity, pressure and emulsifier effects on droplet size.
► Membrane material and morphology affects membrane performance.
► Formation within supporting material effects droplet size.
► A mechanism is proposed for droplet detachment under differing conditions.