LAUSR

Abstract The development of wet classification processes, which can provide particles smaller than 10 μm, will help to meet the increasing demand for different products containing fine solid particles that are suspended in liquid. The separation of fine product is an ambitious task and despite several decades of research, only few processes are available. In this work, a cross-flow microfiltration process was modified to realize a wet classification process by hydrodynamic forces acting on particles in the laminar boundary layer of a membrane. In experiments performed with a lab-scale setup, the selective deposition of quartz particles smaller than 2 μm was achieved. At shorter deposition times, even at higher concentration, the sharpest distribution of the classified fraction was obtained.