Mass Transfer

PE -3101

Membrane Separations (Lecture

1)
Taught by:

Engr. Muzammil Mehmood

Membrane Separations
Whilst effective product separation is crucial to economic
operation in the process industries, certain types of materials are
inherently difficult and expensive to separate. Important
examples include:
1. Finely dispersed solids, especially those which are

compressible, and which have a density close to that of the

liquid phase, have high viscosity, or are gelatinous.
2. Low molecular weight, non-volatile organics or
pharmaceuticals and dissolved salts.
3.

Biological materials which are very sensitive to their physical

and chemical environment.

Cont.
The processing of these categories of materials has become
increasingly important in recent years, especially with the growth
of the newer biotechnological industries and with the increasingly
sophisticated nature of processing in the food industries.
When difficulties arise in the processing of materials of biological
origin, it is worth asking, how does nature solve the problem? The
solution which nature has developed is likely to be both highly
effective and energy efficient, though it may be slow in process
terms.
Nature separates biologically active materials by means of
membranes.

What is a membrane?
A membrane may be defined as an interphase separating two
phases and selectively controlling the transport of materials
between those phases.
A membrane is an interphase rather than an interface because it
occupies a finite, though normally small, element of space.
Human beings are all surrounded by a membrane, the skin, and
membranes control the separation of materials at all levels of life,
down to the outer layers of bacteria and sub cellular components.

Types Of Membranes
1.

Naturally occurring membranes ( human skin, animal skin )

2.

Synthetic membranes ( polyamide , polysulphones ,

polycarbonates etc )

3.

Asymmetric membranes ( having a dense outer layer and a highly

porous substructure over the rest of membrane )

4.

Symmetric membranes ( having similar structure throughout )

5.

Thin film composite membranes ( extremely thin layer of 1 um

supported on a porous structure)

Advantages Of Membrane
Separations
1.

Ambient temperature operation

2.

Lower capital cost than other competitors

3.

Lower running cost

4.

Modular construction

Classification Of Membrane
Separation Processes

Membrane separation processes may be classified according to

the size range of material they are to separate and the
driving force.
Some important classifications are;
1. Microfiltration (MF)
2. Ultra filtration (UF)
3. Nano filtration (NF)
4. Reverse osmosis (RO)
5. Electro dialysis (ED)
6. Dialysis

1. Micro Filtration (MF)

Here the driving force is pressure gradient and the size range of
particles separated is 100.1 m.
Examples include Small particles, large colloids, microbial cells.

2. Ultra Filtration (UF)

Here the driving force is pressure gradient and the size range of
particles separated is <0.1 m5 nm.
Examples include Emulsions, colloids, macromolecules and
proteins.

3. Nano Filtration (NF)

Here the driving force is pressure gradient and the size range of
particles separated is 1 nm.
Examples include Dissolved salts and organics.

4. Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Here the driving force is pressure gradient and the size range of
particles separated is <1 nm.
Examples include Dissolved salts and small organics.

5. Electro Dialysis (ED)

Here the driving force is Electric field gradient and the size range
of particles separated is <5 nm.
Examples include Dissolved salts.

6. Dialysis

Here the driving force is concentration gradient and the size

range of particles separated is <5 nm.
Examples include treatment of renal failures.

What are liquid

membranes , their
types and
advantages

various separation
techniques, their
working principal
and typical
applications
Roll No. 31

(Kanza Naseer)

THANK YOU