Development of Ultrafiltration Tubular Ceramic Membrane Using in their Composition Granite Residue

摘要

The use of ceramic membrane is in expansion in the world market, mainly due to their characteristics of high chemical and biological stability, high temperature and pressure resistance and long lifetime when compared with organic membranes. In Brazil ceramic membrane market still limited to high cost of fabrication with imported synthetic powders. Recently, new researches in this area are developed and new applications have been created. The aim of this work is to develop tubular ceramic membrane of low cost using in its composition granite sawing residue (RSG). Firstly, materials were mixed and the ceramic mass was characterized by chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. Tubular membranes composed by bentonite, quartz and RSG were prepared by extrusion and sintered at 750°C. After the membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, mercury porosimetry and water flux permeate. The results showed average pore size close to 0.06μm and can be applied in ultrafiltration process. The water flux permeate reach a stead state after 1 hour at a value of 14.0 L/h.m with a transmembrane pressure of 4.0 bar.