The main components of a hollow fiber filtration system are hollow fiber membrane modules made of bundles of hollow fibers encased in a cylinder, multi-channel headers to distribute fluid to the fibers and collect filtrate, and a pump to push feed fluids through the system under pressure.

During hollow fiber filtration, feed fluids are pressurized and pumped through the bore or central hollow part of the fibers while filtrate passes through the pores in the fiber walls to the shell side where it is collected. This allows contaminants, suspended solids and other particles that are too large to pass through the pores to be retained inside the fibers while permeate or filtrate free of these particles exits through the walls.

Major Applications of Hollow Fiber Filtration

Hollow Fiber Filtration has widespread applications across multiple industries due to its efficient, space-saving design. Some of its major uses include:

Water Treatment - Hollow fiber membranes are extensively used for water purification, desalination and waste water treatment. Their high surface area to volume ratio allows for effective removal of contaminants like turbidity, bacteria and other microorganisms.

Biopharmaceutical Processing - The biopharma industry relies on hollow fiber filtration for sterile filtration, cell separation, protein concentration and buffer exchange during manufacturing of biologics like vaccines, antibiotics and therapeutic proteins.

Food and Beverage - This sector utilizes hollow fiber filtration for clarification and purification of juices, wines and beers as well as separation of food additives, thickeners and stabilizers.

Gas Separation - Hollow fibers enable highly selective separation of gases through proprietary materials that only allow certain gases like oxygen, hydrogen or carbon dioxide to pass through. This finds application in hydrogen recovery, air separation plants and landfill gas upgrading systems.

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