The application of electric fields to crossflow filtration can improve permeate flux, but reports on this filtration have shown that pH-buffering agents must often be added or electrode isolation incorporated if the filtration rates are to be maintained. Sensitive solutions such as blood require laminar flow conditions to prevent cell lysis by shear, and maintenance within a specific pH band. Optimised conditIons are presented which provide improved rates of bovine serum albumin ultrafiltration to minimise addition times of buffer. Pulsed electric fields and novel sweeping electric fields can be utilised. Combining electric fields with vortex mixing provided by oscillatory flow over ladder-like flow deflectors produces the highest filtration rates. Protein degradation is avoided, as are problems of electrodeposition. The effects of electric field and vortex mixing are additive, and are studied both in combination and independently. An analysis of a design problem is presented to find the membrane area and electrical power required for scale-up by comparing conventional, conventional-with-deflectors, electrified and electrified-and-vortex-mixing designs.