Effect of pore morphology on fluid flow and particle deposition on a track-etched polycarbonate membrane

Abstract

Three-dimensional particles deposition on a filter pore of a track-etched polycarbonate membrane was studied numerically by analyzing forces acting on the depositing particles. The simulation was applied to examine how the morphology of the filter pore affects the deposition of particles on a membrane pore at the initial stage of filtration. The model of membrane structure is a 3D porous surface with circular holes of finite thickness. Both of the effects of constriction and expansion of inner pore geometries on fluid flow and particle deposition are taken into consideration in numerical calculation, and are compared with that of capillary pore. The disturbance of flow field and particle trajectory due to the presence of particles was taken into consideration during each simulation. Simulated results show that the effect of filtration rate, i.e., operating pressure, has a significant influence on the packing morphology of particles on a filter pore.