Filtration is a unit operation widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industries to separate solids from liquids. The theory of filtration is fundamentally described by Darcy's Law, which explains the relationship between the rate of fluid flow through a porous medium and the applied pressure.
Darcy's Law equation:
\[
Q = \frac{k \cdot A \cdot \Delta P}{\mu \cdot L}
\]
Where:
- \( Q \) = volumetric flow rate (m³/s)
- \( k \) = permeability of the medium (m²)
- \( A \) = cross-sectional area (m²)
- \( \Delta P \) = pressure difference (Pa)
- \( \mu \) = viscosity of the fluid (Pa·s)
- \( L \) = thickness of the filter medium (m)
Explanation of options:
- (a) Dalton's method deals with partial pressures of gases. Not relevant to filtration.
- (b) Darcy equation is directly related to filtration theory, especially constant pressure filtration.
- (c) BET equation relates to surface area determination through gas adsorption, not filtration.
- (d) Stokes' equation is used for sedimentation and particle settling, not for filtration mechanisms.