Dialysis with ultrafiltration through countercurrently parallel-flow membrane modules

The application of ultrafiltration operation to the dialysis in countercurrently parallel-flow rectangular membrane modules was investigated. The assumption of uniform ultrafiltration flux was made for operation with slight concentration polarization and declination of transmembrane pressure. Considerable improvement in mass transfer is achievable if the operation of ultrafiltration is applied, especially for the system with low mass transfer coefficient. The enhancement in separation efficiency is significantly increased with increasing ultrafiltration flux, as well as with increasing the volumetric flow rates. Furthermore, increasing the volumetric flow rate in retentate phase is more beneficial to mass transfer than increasing in dialysate phase.