Membrane Processes for Sustainable Growth

This book examines membrane technologies for sustainable development, through a careful analysis of the technical aspects and possible fields of industrial development. Membrane processes are today largely considered consolidated processes able to assure energy savings, environmental protection as well as sustainable industrial growth. Various applications of membranes are described in this book. Its purpose, in fact, is to cover a lack of academic books concerning the aspects of sustainable growth related to membrane processes. In particular, the book covers the following arguments: separation of gaseous mixtures, chemical reactions in inorganic membrane reactors and bioreactors, polymeric membrane reactors, membrane contactors, pervaporation and vapour permeation, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and food packaging. This book is addressed to postgraduate students and researchers in the field of chemical and biochemical engineering and is aimed at providing the reader with tools for the analysis of existing membrane technologies for the sustainable development and, possibly, the design of new ones. Furthermore, the book may be recommended as a supplementary textbook for higher-level under-graduate courses and be of interest for both chemical and chemical engineer researchers who want to get a deeper insight into the newest membrane technologies for sustainable development. It must be considered an advanced textbook designed primarily to meet the demands of a course taught at both undergraduate students as well as postgraduate students (both M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels) in Chemical Engineering and Chemical Processes.