Systems and methods of controlling fouling during a filtration procedure

A method of controlling fouling of a membrane during a fluid filtering process, comprising:

• accepting a selected filtrate flow rate;
• selecting a maximum transmembrane pressure;
• predicting an estimated procedure end time to separate at least a portion of a filtrate fluid from a bulk fluid;
• calculating a control point corresponding to the maximum transmembrane pressure and the estimated procedure end time;
• flowing the bulk fluid past the membrane;
• achieving the selected filtrate flow rate through the membrane;
• determining a transmembrane pressure and time elapsed when the selected filtrate flow rate is achieved;
• determining an acceptable fouling rate, as defined by a slope of a plot of a current transmembrane pressure and the control point, and a slope of a plot of periodically-measured transmembrane pressures versus time;
• comparing the two slopes to determine an acceptable rate of change with time of the transmembrane pressure;
• and
• adjusting the filtrate flow rate based on the determined acceptable rate of change with time of the transmembrane pressure to cause the plot of periodically-measured transmembrane pressures versus time to approximate the plot of the acceptable fouling rate.