Study of the solute flows of multicomponent and heterogeneous non-ionic solutions in double-membrane system.

Abstract

The solute flows were studied in a double-membrane osmotic-diffusive cell, in which two membranes mounted in horizontal planes separate three compartments (l,m,r) containing the non-homogeneous, non-electrolytic binary and ternary solutions. The volume of inter-membrane compartment (m), which is the infinitesimally layer of solution, and volume of external compartments (l and r) fulfill the conditions V(m)→ 0 and V(l) =V(r)→ ∞, respectively. In an initial moment, the solution concentrations satisfy the condition (C(o) (s))(l) < (C(o) (s))(m) >(C(o) (s))(r). The double-membrane osmotic-diffusive cell is composed of two complexes: boundary layer/membrane/boundary layer, mounted in horizontal planes. In the cell, solute flux was measured as a function of concentration and gravitational configuration. The linear dependencies of the solute flux on concentration difference in binary solutions and nonlinear - in ternary solutions were obtained. It was shown that the double-membrane osmotic-diffusive cell has rectifying and amplifying properties of solute flows.