Simulation of permeation of colloidal particle dispersion through membrane pores in microfiltration

The present review gives an introduction of recent studies on application of direct numerical simulation of colloidal suspension to microfiltration. First, we presented the numerical method for a coupled scheme combining the immersed boundary method and the discrete element method (DEM) to simulate colloidal particle dispersion flow in microfiltration membrane. The simulation results can reveal the relationship between the permeation dynamics of colloidal suspension, and the behaviors of water permeation flux and rejection. In addition, we presented a numerical method for coordinating the microporous structure calculated by the phase-field model with direct numerical simulation of colloidal particle dispersion flow to describe the permeation dynamics of colloidal suspension through the realistic structure of microfiltration membrane. To coordinate fluid computation and particle computation with the microporous structure calculated by the phase-field model, the immersed boundary method and the level set method were applied, respectively. Two types of microporous structure were prepared by varying initial polymer concentration using the phase-field model to demonstrate the present method. The direct numerical simulation of the permeation of colloidal suspension flow was then performed. The permeation behaviors between the two types of microporous structures were markedly different.