Membrane contactors and catalytic membrane reactors in Process Intensification

Membrane operations, with their intrinsic characteristics of efficiency and operational simplicity, high selectivity and permeability for the transport of specific components, compatibility between different membrane operations in integrated systems, low energetic requirement, good stability under operating conditions, environment-compatibility, easy control and scale-up, and large operational flexibility, represent an interesting answer for the rationalisation of chemical productions. Many membrane operations are practically based on the same hardware (materials), only differing in their software (methods). The traditional membrane separation operations (Reverse Osmosis, Micro-, Ultra- and Nanofiltration, Electrodialysis, Pervaporation etc.), already largely utilised in many different areas, are today completed with new membrane systems such as catalytic membrane reactors and membrane contactors. At present, the possibility to redesign important industrial production cycles by combining various membrane operations available in the separation and conversion units, so realising highly integrated membrane processes, is an attractive opportunity because of the synergic effects that can be reached. In addition, the design of the integrated membrane production cycle well satisfy, in principle, the requirements for an advanced process intensification strategy. Membrane crystallizers, membrane emulsifiers, membrane strippers and scrubbers, membrane distillation, membrane extractors, etc. can be realized and integrated in the production lines together with the other existing membranes operations for advanced molecular separation and chemical transformations, overcoming existing limits of the more traditional membrane processes.