Conventional filtration and membrane separation processed: An overview

The increasing emphasis on processes efficient in their use of chemicals etc, indicates the need to describe and differentiate the various membrane and filtration techniques which promote such efficiency. Today, such is the range and robustness of commercially available membranes that a suitable system can be assembled for almost every conceivable process, thereby not only enabling a high degree of in-process recycling, but also lightening the environmental impact of such operations. Described here are the main technologies, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, diffusion dialysis, electrodialysis and membrane electrolysis.