The transport of nano-scale particles has become increasingly important, but the knowledge base available is limited. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap between the nano- and micro-scales for pneumatic conveying. A key parameter is the minimum pickup velocity (Upu), which is the minimum fluid velocity required to initiate motion in a particle originally at rest. The Upu values of nine alumina particles with particle diameters (dp) ranging from 5 to 110,000 nm were determined using the weight loss method, then compared against the established pickup Zones (analogous to the Geldart Groups). Results indicated that: (1) Upu varied non-monotonically with increasing dp, thus revealing the missing link between the nano- and micro-scales; (2) the intermediate particle diameters surprisingly did not agree with any pickup Zone; (3) Zone III (analogous to Geldart Group C) is inadequate for all the nano-scale particles, so new boundaries and a new Zone are proposed.@en

Fouling of ultrafiltration (UF) and microfiltration (MF) membranes by proteins is a major challenge in the bioprocessing and dairy industries, as well as in surface and wastewater treatment applications. This review attempts at presenting a comprehensive state-of-the-art understanding on protein fouling of membranes. Effects of operating conditions, along with properties of proteins and membranes, are discussed. Various tools and techniques used to characterize and monitor fouling are described. Different mitigation techniques and cleaning methods used are also presented. Two main factors have been identified as playing important roles in governing protein fouling, namely, ratio of protein size to membrane pore size and interfacial interactions (i.e., protein-protein and protein-membrane). Some directions for future research are suggested: (1) explore a wider range of proteins and their mixtures with respect to their fouling tendencies; and (2) create a comprehensive dataset that can be used to develop machine-learning models to enhance both predictive capabilities and mechanistic understanding.@en