Concluding Remarks and Outlook to the Future

The main part of the developments on membrane reactors for chemical processes has focused on very large scale processes, with emphasis on apphcations in the petrochemical industry and in the production of bulk chemicals. As described above, many hurdles will have to be taken before implementation on this scale will take place. Although most of the earlier work on membrane reactors has focused on shifting the reaction equihbrium, currently a shift can be observed towards systems aiming on selectivity increase and controlled reactant dosage. As reaction selectivity is of major importance in the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical products, it seems plausible to expect that membrane reactors will find their way in the production of chemicals through applications in these areas. 

Mi NET, P.K. T. Liu, Gatalytic membrane reactors, in Gomputer-aided design of catalysts E.R. Becker, E.R. Pereira eds., Chemical Industries, Marcel Dek-ker New York, 51 (1993). 

Cheryan, M.A. Mehaia, Membrane Bioreactors. In Membrane Separations in Biotechnology W. C. McGregor ed. Bioprocess Tecknale, Marcel Dekkei  

Hibino, T. Sato, K. Ushiki, Y. Kuwa-HARA, /. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans., 91 (1995), 4419. 

Bauerle, K. Fischer, D. Bardtke, STAUB Reinhaltung der Luft, 46 (1986), 233. 

---