Electromembrane bipolar membrane

Electromembrane processes such as electrolysis and electrodialysis have experienced a steady growth since they made their first appearance in industrial-scale applications about 50 years ago [1-3], Currently desalination of brackish water and chlorine-alkaline electrolysis are still the dominant applications of these processes. But a number of new applications in the chemical and biochemical industry, in the production of high-quality industrial process water and in the treatment of industrial effluents, have been identified more recently [4]. The development of processes such as continuous electrodeionization and the use of bipolar membranes have further extended the range of application of electromembrane processes far beyond their traditional use in water desalination and chlorine-alkaline production. 

In this chapter only electromembrane separation processes such as electrodialysis, electrodialysis with bipolar membranes, and continuous electrodeionization will be discussed. 

D. Raucq, G. Pourcelly and C. Gavach, Production of sulfuric acid and caustic soda from sodium sulfate by electromembrane processes. Comparison between electroelectrodialysis and electrodialysis on bipolar membrane, Desalination, 1993, 91, 163— 175 S. Mazrou, H. Kerdjoudi, A.T. Cherif and J. Molenat, Sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid generation from sodium chloride and rock salt by electroelectrodialysis, J. Appl. Electrochem., 1997, 27, 558 A.T. Cherif, J. Molenat and A. Elmidaoui, Nitric acid and sodium hydroxide generation by electrodialysis using bipolar membranes. J Appl. Electrochem., 1997, 27, 1069-1074. 

Raucq D, Pourcelly G, Gawich G. Production of sulfur acid and caustic soda from sodium sulfate by electromembrane process. Comparison between electro-electrodialysis and electrodialysis on bipolar membrane. Desalination 1993 91(12) 163—75. 

Membrane processes that use ion-exchange membranes and electric potential difference as the driving force for ionic species transport are referred to as electromembrane processes (Strathmann, 2004). The following electro-membrane separation processes (Scheme 5.1) can be distinguished electrodialysis (ED), including variations such as electrodialysis reversal, electro-electrodialysis and bipolar membrane electrodialysis, electrodeionization (EDI), and Donnan dialysis (DD). 

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