Membrane contactors overview

Gabelman, A. and Hwang, S.T. (1999) Hollow-fiber membrane contactors. Journal of Membrane Science, 159, 61. Sirkar, K.K. (1996) Hollow fiber-contained liquid membranes for separations - an overview, in Chemical Separations with Liquid Membranes (eds R.A. Bartsch and J.D. Way), ACS, p. 222. 

This chapter presents an overview of different membrane processes and a description of all of the chapters presented in this edition. Chapter 2 focuses on updated information of utility to UF and NF membrane research and development, particularly in the preparation of new types of UF/NF membranes with improved performances. Chapter 3 presents a comprehensive review on RO membrane, the latest developments in the field, important installations demonstrating this technology, and future scope of RO processes. Chapter 4 presents the potential of membrane contactors, especially hollow fiber contactors in the field of chemical and nuclear industry along with their applications, performance, and current challenges faced by indnstry. This chapter also gives an introduction to membrane contactors, their principles of operation and associated mechanisms (where chemical reactions are involved), and fntnre scope of these contactors. 

What we will do now is briefly introduce each of the four separation and purification applications of membrane contactors, describe their operational modes and constraints (if any), provide illustrative examples, and identity, if possible, problem areas and potential needs. We will not provide a detailed review of the literature. The following selected references provide a chronological list of introductions, reviews, and overviews of various types of membrane contactors Sirkar and Prasad (1992), Sirkar et al. (1992), Sirkar (1992), Reed et al. (1995), Gableman and Hwang (1999), Joscelyne and Tragard (2000), Klaassen and Jansen (2001), Kovvali and Sirkar (2003a, b), and Curcio and Drioli (2005). 

Bringas E., San Roman M.F., Irabien J.A., and Ortiz I., An overview of the mathematical modeling of hquid membrane separation processes in hollow fiber contactors, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 84, 1583, 2009. 

Abstract The objective of this chapter is to give an overview of the use of polymeric membranes in membrane reactors. Since the stndy of polymeric membrane reactors is a multidisciplinary activity, the chapter begins with some basic concepts of polymer science and polymer membranes. In the following, the different types of polymeric membrane reactors, classified into two main groups - polymeric inert membrane reactors (PIMRs) and polymeric catalytic membrane reactors (PCMRs), are presented and discussed. For each of these group , examples of the main reactor types are given extractors, forced-flow or contactors. Finally, there is a discussion of the modelhng aspects of membrane reactors with dense polymeric catalytic membranes reported in the literature. 

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