Modelling is necceary for designing of a new process and developing a better insight of the present process. Appropriate model could reduce the computation time and the amount of practical work required prior to designing a new membrane process. The present theoretical approaches to predict the microfiltration performance of colloidal solutions are based on models such as mass transfer model (film theory), gel-polarization model, osmotic pressure model, boundary layer-adsorption model, Brownian diffusion model, shear-induced diffusion model, inertial lift model and surface transport model. Each of them has a number of limitations such as: (i) they need some experimental data to estimate some model parameters, (ii) none of them can describe the full flux–time pattern of process with non-linear nature, (iii) they are mathematically complex, (iii) they need a good knowledge of the physicochemical properties of fluent. In this way, there is not a completely theoretical model that accomplishes to quantitatively describe microfiltration process dynamics very accurately, which led to many design procedures being empirical and system specific. In view of the importance of microfiltration in the dairy industry, in this study, the authors investigated the a scientific approach for characterization of fouling mechanism based on thermodynamic and kinetic concepts.

Aim: Herein, the effect of temperature (5, 20, 35 & 50°c) and pH (5.5, 6, 6.5 &7) were comprehensively investigated on flux decline kinetic pattern, fouling mechanism, mass transfer and thermodynamic of serum protein permeation across the microfiltration process of micellar casein concentrate (MCC) production.