Evaluation of Polyethersulfone- based filtration performance with the presence of antifoam agent

The performance of polyethersulfone membrane filtration was analyzed with the presence of silicon based antifoam. The purpose of this experiment to determine the loading capacity of filtration process and the effect of antifoam agent on Polyethersulfone (PES)- based filter membrane. In this experiment, Cobetter Polyethersulfone membrane and Hyclon silicon antifoam solution have been used. PES is usually used for culture media sterilization, life science and microbiology fluid applications, clinical, and general filtration. The filtration was conducted using dead end filtration mode. Different concentration of silicon based antifoam agent will be added to the process filtration within the range from low to high concentration. The filtration processes were conducted with the concentration of the silicon solution at 0% v/v, 0.1% v/v, 0.5% v/v and 1.0 % v/v with two different speed which were 25ml/min and 50 ml/min. Performance of the filter membrane were evaluated. Flux rate behavior of the membrane with addition of different concentration of silicon based antifoam agent throughout the filtration process time were recorded. Flux decline in membrane filtration is a result of the increase in the membrane resistance due the membrane pore blockage and the formation of a cake layer on the membrane surface. The analysis also conducted on resistance and capacity of the membrane filter from the pressure exerted throughout the filtration process.