Membrane contactors applications

Souchon, I., Afhes, V., Pierre, F.X. and Marin, M. (2004) Liquid-liquid extraction and air stripping in membrane contactor application to aroma compounds recovery. Desalination, 163, 39. 

Membrane contactor applications in the liquid-liquid extraction field fall in two categories (1) removal of unwanted species from water and (2) removal and recovery of valuable species from water. Many investigations have been conducted over the year by academia as well as by industry. Below we are providing some samples from the wide range of applications reported in hterature. The examples presented are divided roughly into three sections (a) biotech and pharmaceutical products, (b) industrial chemicals and VOC, and (c) metals. 

Patents on new module designs have been recently presented. Nitto Denko (Japan) patented a spiral wound design for membrane contactor applications [51]. The system includes a central feed pipe around which one or more membranes are wound. Tests on water ozonation demonstrated that it is possible to achieve a concentrahon of ozone 10% higher than in hollow hber. 

Klaassen R., Feron, P., Jansen, A. (2008). Membrane contactor applications. Desalination 224 81-87. 

R. Klaassen, P. Feron, and A. Jansen, Membrane contactor applications. Desalination 224 (2008) 81-87. 

Y. Zhang, R. Wang, Fabrication of novel polyetherimide-fluorinated silica organic-inorganic composite hollow fiber membranes intended for membrane contactor application, J. Memb. Sci. 443 (2013) 170-180. 

Generally, a distinction can be made between membrane bioreactors based on cells performing a desired conversion and processes based on enzymes. In ceU-based processes, bacteria, plant and mammalian cells are used for the production of (fine) chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food additives or for the treatment of waste streams. Enzyme-based membrane bioreactors are typically used for the degradation of natural polymeric materials Hke starch, cellulose or proteins or for the resolution of optically active components in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, food and chemical industry [50, 51]. In general, only ultrafiltration (UF) or microfiltration (MF)-based processes have been reported and little is known on the application of reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) in membrane bioreactors. Additionally, membrane contactor systems have been developed, based on micro-porous polyolefin or teflon membranes [52-55]. 

This book provides a general introduction to membrane science and technology. Chapters 2 to 4 cover membrane science, that is, topics that are basic to all membrane processes, such as transport mechanisms, membrane preparation, and boundary layer effects. The next six chapters cover the industrial membrane separation processes, which represent the heart of current membrane technology. Carrier facilitated transport is covered next, followed by a chapter reviewing the medical applications of membranes. The book closes with a chapter that describes various minor or yet-to-be-developed membrane processes, including membrane reactors, membrane contactors and piezodialysis. 

Figure 13.9 Examples of membrane contactors and their applications...

Of the processes described in this chapter, membrane contactors and membrane reactors have the greatest potential to develop into large-scale commercial processes. Both technologies are already used on a small scale in niche applications, and both are being developed for much larger and more important processes. Membrane contactors are currently most widely used to deaerate liquids, but the... 

B.W. Reed, M. J. Semmens and E.L. Cussler, Membrane Contactors, in Membrane Separations Technology Principles and Applications, R.D. Noble and S.A. Stem (eds), Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp. 467-498 (1995). 

Over the past 20 years, membrane contactors, a technology based on the combination of membrane separation and chemical absorption, have been evaluated for C02 capture applications [106]. The nonwetting porous membrane is generally not selective, but solely acts as a barrier between the flue gas and the liquid adsorbent, see Figure 9.9 [106]. Separation is determined by the reaction of one component (typically C02 or H2S) in the gas mixture with the absorbent in the liquid. 

Various membrane operations are available today for a wide spectrum of industrial applications. Microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), gas and vapor separation (GS, VS), pervaporation (PV), dialysis (D), electrodialysis (ED) and membrane contactors (MCs) are only some of the best-known membrane unit operations. 

Drioli, E., Criscuoli, A. and Curcio, E. (2006) Membrane Contactors Fundamentals, Applications and Potentialities, Membrane Science and Technology Series, vol. 11, Elsevier, Amsterdam, Boston. 

This Part focuses on fundamentals and applications of membrane contactors and membrane emulsification. Special attention is given to the industrial application of membrane contactors. 

The design of the first commercial modules has allowed the commercial application of membrane contactors for some specific operations. This is the case of the Membrana-Charlotte Company (USA) that developed the LiquiCel modules, equipped with polypropylene hollow fibers, for the water deoxygenation for the semiconductor industry. LiquiCel modules have been also applied to the bubble-free carbonation of Pepsi, in the bottling plant of West Virginia [18], and to the concentrations of fruit and vegetable juices in an osmotic distillation pilot plant at Melbourne [19]. Other commercial applications of LiquiCel are the dissolved-gases removal from water, the decarbonation and nitrogenation in breweries, and the ammonia removal from wastewater [20]. 

The introduction of membrane contactors in industrial cycles might represent an interesting way to realize the rationalization of chemical productions in the logic of the process intensification. Membrane contactors are, in fact, highly efficient systems for carrying out the mass transfer between phases and achieving high removals. They also present lower size than conventional apparatus. Commercial applications are already present (e.g., the electronics industry or bubble-free carbonation lines), however, some critical points must be still overcome and several are the research efforts needed for their further implementation at industrial level, as summarized below ... 

However, industrial applications have been limited mostly because these new membrane-based systems have not been proven extensively at the industrial level and their advantages have not been quantified in industrial terms, as is the case for traditional consolidated technologies. This fact has discouraged industries from applying these systems in large plants. Therefore, demonstration tests are needed in order to be able to fully exploit the commercial potential of the membrane contactor technology. 

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