Report Overview
Membrane Technology Here to Stay in Chemicals Industry
Membrane separation technology is increasingly being utilized in the chemicals industry for a wide range of applications such as removing water
from organics using hydrophilic membranes. The membrane-based process of pervaporation is gaining importance and is now routinely used in the
chemicals industry for splitting azeotropes. Essentially, the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries represent opportunities for membrane separation
technology to isolate a pure product.
This Technical Insights study offers you in-depth coverage of key developments and trends in membrane separation. This research provides valuable
information by way of latest technology breakthroughs, detailed lists of pertinent patents along with abstracts, and profiles of key companies.
Discussions of emerging markets and novel medical applications, as well as the impact of regulatory issues on membrane markets and research are also
included.
Medical Applications Provide Huge Opportunities
"Medical applications represent a major market for membranes," says the analyst. Demand for safe blood supplies, dialysis therapy for
end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and blood processing are strong drivers for the continuous development of membrane-based technologies. Membrane
filtration technologies are also finding use in genomics, proteomics, drug discovery, and general laboratory applications in life sciences research,
while medical and bioscience research are generating demand for sophisticated membrane separation and ultra pure water.
Among emerging medical applications, one of the most exciting is the development of an artificial lung based on the Intravenous Membrane Oxygenator.
Animal testing has proved that this lung can handle 40 percent of normal lung function, enough to replace the ventilator in some patient groups.
Need for Clean Water, Environment Fuel Research
Strong market forces such as the over-riding need for clean water and environment spur constant research and development of these technologies.
Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane separation, a major water desalination process, is expected to grow by nearly 10 percent annually. Research aimed at
reducing air pollution has yielded advanced membrane technologies that remove carbon dioxide from flue gas and send it to greenhouses to improve crop
yields, as well as remove sulfur from gasoline.
Major industrial applications are also driving the membrane market. Gas separation applications and the natural gas, oil, and petrochemicals
industries are key markets for membrane separation technologies. "Although there are a number of companies that have well-established gas
separation production using membrane technologies, research continues to improve gas separation processes for specific applications," says the
analyst. Sweetening of natural gas and reducing its high nitrogen content are other challenging but important applications.
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Introduction
- Overview
- Scope and Methodology
- Technology Description
- Overview
- Key Developments
2 INTRODUCTION--APPLICATIONS; ADVANTAGES; HISTORY
- What Is Membrane Separation
- Definitions of Some Key Words
- Sorting by Pore Size
- More Separation Processes
- Applications of Membrane Separation
- Water Purification: From Potable to Ultrapure
- Industrial Applications
- Advantages
- Reduction in Operating Costs
- Energy Savings
- Environmental Advantages
- History of Membrane Separation
- Early Work
- Serious Membrane Separation R&D Begins
- Reverse Osmosis is Invented
3 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS
- Membrane Modules
- Membrane Modules
- Hollow Fiber
- Plate and Frame
- Spiral Wound
- Membrane Adsorbers
- Molecular Sieves
- Principles of Membrane Separation
- Reverse Osmosis
- Microfiltration; Ultrafiltration; and Nanofiltration
- Dialysis
- Flow Patterns Used in Membrane Separation
- Membrane Compositions
- Polymers
- Ceramics
- Metals
- Computer Based Tools
- Computer Based Tools
4 TECHNOLOGY; APPLICATIONS; AND MARKETS IMPACT ANALYSIS
- Market Driving Forces
- Need for Pure/Clean Water
- Environmental Concerns
- Medical Applications
- Economic Advantages
- Regulatory Issues
- Clean Water
- Clean Air and Global Warming
- Major Markets
- Water
- Dairy; Food and Beverage
- Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
- Natural Gas; Oil; and Petrochemicals
- Gas Separation
- Medical Applications
- Emerging Markets
- Fuel Cells; Advanced Batteries; and Other Energy Sources
- Pollution Controls
- Bottled Water
- Medical Devices
- Market Challenges
- Competing Technologies
- Membrane Fouling
- Membrane Robustness
- Cost of R&D
5 IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS AT COMPANIES IN THE KEY MARKETS
- Water; Wastewater Processing and Water Reuse
- CANDESAL International Corporation
- Hydranautics/ Nitto Denko
- Zenon Environmental Inc.
- Gas Separation/ Fuel Cells
- Air Liquide/MEDAL
- Compact Membrane Systems Inc.
- Foster-Miller Inc.
- Praxair Inc.
- REB Research and Consulting
- Hydrocarbon Processing/ Petrochemicals/ Oil & Gas
- Davison Membranes/ W. R. Grace & Co
- Membrane Technology & Research Inc.
- NATCO Group: Cynara Membrane Systems
- Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/ Pharmaceutical
- Alung Technologies Inc.
- Baxter Healthcare Corporation/Baxter International Inc.
- Millipore Corporation
- Research & Development
- Eltron Research Inc.
- eSpin Technologies Inc.
- ExxonMobil Research and Engineering
- Kiwa N.V. Water Research
- InnovaTek Inc.
- PTI Advanced Filtration Inc.
- QinetiQ
- TNO Environment; Energy; and Process Innovation
- Multiple Markets
- CeraMem Corporation
- Pall Corporation
- Sulzer Chemtech Membrane Systems
6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IMPACTING INDUSTRY: PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS WORLDWIDE
- Government Supported Laboratories
- Argonne National Laboratory
- CEA-Grenoble; Technology Research Division
- GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH
- Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC)
- National Research Council Canada
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Water Treatment Engineering and Research Group
- University R&D
- Georgia Institute of Technology; School of Chemical Engineering
- McMaster University; Department of Chemistry
- Middle East and North Africa (MENA) University and Research Outreach Program
- Northwestern University; Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Pennsylvania State University; Department of Chemical Engineering
- Technion; Israel Institute of Technology; Chemical Engineering Department
- University of California; Riverside; Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
- University of Glasgow; Department of Mechanical Engineering
- University of Kentucky; College of Engineering; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
- University of Nevada; Department of Civil Engineering
- University of Twente; European Membrane Institute Twente
7 CASE STUDIES AND PROJECTS
- Case Studies
- Emergency Response Water Treatment
- Membrane Treatment of Oil Field Produced Water
- Putting an End to Cork-taint
- Projects
- Six Million Gallons Per Day from Lake Erie
- Water for a Remote Saudi Village
- World's Largest MF Plant in Victoria; Australia
8 TECHNICAL INSIGHTS 2003 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
- Technology Innovation
- Award Description
- Award Recipient
- Technology Leadership
- Award Description
- Award Recipient
9 REFERENCES; CONTACT INFORMATION; PATENTS; AND GLOSSARY
- References and Contact Information
- Useful URLs
- Organizations
- Government Websites
- Contact Information
- Patents and Glossary
- Patents
- Glossary
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