Effect of fibrous filter properties on the oil-in-water-emulsion separation and filtration performance

► Evidently elucidation of separation mechanism of isooctane in water emulsion (0.2%, < 6 μm). ► Performance of nanocoated very thin filter media (<0.2 cm) with different structures and wettabilities. ► More effective coalescence occurs at a surface preferably wetted by dispersed phase, whereas the phase separation efficiency increases with increasing filter porosity and reducing pore size, increasing influent droplet size and decreasing inflow velocity. ► When the pore size equals the influent droplet size then the surface wettability of filter is less effective.