Separation Process Engineering, 5th Edition

Chapter 19

Introduction to Membrane Separation Processes

This chapter presents an introduction to four membrane separation methods commonly used in industry: gas permeation (GP), reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), and pervaporation. These membrane separation processes are based on the rate at which solutes transfer though a semipermeable membrane. They are not operated as equilibrium-staged processes. The key to understanding these membrane processes is the rate of mass transfer, not equilibrium. Yet, despite this difference, we will see many similarities in the solution methods for different flow patterns with the solution methods developed for equilibrium-staged separations. Because the analyses of these processes are often analogous ...