Role of caking in optimizing the performance of a concertinaed ceramic filtration membrane

Membrane filtration is a process of separating particles from fluids. Over time, particles are trapped within the membrane structure and on the membrane surface, forming a cake. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model for the transient blocking dynamics in a concertinaed filtration device composed of angled porous membranes and dead-ends. We examine how the inclusion of particles affects the flow dynamics, and we uncover potential inaccuracies in relying on flux–throughput curves to distinguish between caking and internal blocking dynamics. Moreover, we show that optimal filtration performance strongly depends on both the performance metric and the membrane configuration. Finally, to optimize the use of membrane area, we introduce a method for deriving a nonuniform permeance that ensures constant initial cake growth.