Optimizing the enzymatic elimination of clogging of a microfiltration membrane by Parellada grape cake

Abstract

Clogging of the filtration membranes is one of the main problems in the process of obtaining grape must for white wine; therefore, clogging must be reduced to the maximum. The aim of this work was to find the optimal values of the temperature, time and enzyme solution concentration variables to know the best conditions to reduce the clogging of Parellada var. grape pulp in microfilters by enzymatic hydrolysis. Moreover, a study of the effluents produced in this process was also carried out. The unclogging experiments carried out at different temperatures and times led to the activation energy value of 60.3 kJ/mol, and the optimum conditions obtained, those that produced the best filtration, were temperature of 51.8C, time of 35 min and enzyme solution concentration of 379.4 μL/L. Finally, the kinetic equations of the variation in the contents of the effluents generated in this process under the optimal conditions were also determined.

One of the authors (A. P. Echavarría) wishes to thank the support of the Commission for Universities and Research of the DIUE in the Generalitat de Catalunya and the European Social Fund for financing a predoctoral grant. The authors wish to thank Raventós Codorniu S.A. (Lleida, Spain) for supplying the grapes used in this work.