CE30240 - Advanced Bioseparations Chemical

Engineering

Lecture 1:
An Introduction into Membranes

Stuart Scott
ss2135@bath.ac.uk
Who Am I?

My research:

Separations
Adsorption

Chemical
Stuart Scott Engineering
ss2135@bath.ac.uk
Catalysis 3D Printing
• Studied my UG at Bath
• Currently finishing my PhD
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Material Overview:

Performance

Methods of
Manufacture
Methods of
Membranes Operation and
Cleaning

Materials

Types &
Applications

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Course Structure:

• There will be a mix of:

• Pre-lecture problem class questions (available Mondays) to refresh – we will go
through one at the start of the lecture
• Active learning activities during the lectures (recorded)
• Post-lecture quizzes to consolidate

• Padlet board for ANY questions (https://padlet.com/ss2135/f7mmh8hry9rdph1h)

Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 7 Week 8 Week 10 Week 15

Problem Exam Prep

Topic 1 & 2 Topic 3 & 4 Topic 5 & 6 Topic 7 Topic 8
Class Drop-in
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Assessment:

Examination:
• 1 exam, 3 hours long
• Worth 75%.
• This material will make up half of a question (roughly 15 marks out of
100).
• There is a 25% coursework for this unit – but not based on this material.

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Lecture Outline:

An introduction into membranes:

By the end of this lecture you will be able to:

• Define what a membrane is and the key terminology

• Suggest types of membrane for specific applications

• Perform initial calculations for membrane operation

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Slide Title:

Any Questions?
Next:

What Are Membranes?

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What is a Membrane?

• A physical, semi-permeable layer

• Allows for mass transfer & separation

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Membranes in Nature:

Cell wall: Lungs:

Allows important salts across Oxygen and CO2 diffuse across concentration gradient
Non-permeable to water Non-permeable to blood
Specific proteins allow for complex transport High surface areas allow for quick transfer

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An Engineered Membrane:

• Three key terminology

• Feed: e.g. seawater or wastewater
• Retentate: concentrated or rejected feed
• Permeate: e.g. treated/drinking water
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Discussion:

1. What causes 2. What forces 3. What determines

this mass transfer can we use to how well we can
to occur? drive this? separate X and Y?
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Slide Title:

Any Questions?
Next:

How Can We Classify

Membranes?
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Classifying Membranes (1): Driving Force

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Classifying Membranes (2): Configuration

Spiral
Wound

Tubular
Hollow
Plate and Fibre
frame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmGpPwSfhK0 14
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Classifying Membranes (3): Porosity

Symmetric Asymmetric Porous

Visible pores
2 nm – 20 um
Convective
e.g. microfiltration

Non-porous
< 2 nm
Diffusive
e.g. reverse osmosis

Dense
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Classifying Membranes (4): Process Type

Process Phase 1 Phase 2 Driving Force

MF/UF/NF/RO/(MBR) L L ΔP

Gas separation G G ΔP

Electrodialysis L L ΔE

Fuel cell L/G/S L/G/S ΔE

Forward osmosis L L ΔC

Facilitated transport L L ΔC

Membrane contactor L/G L/G ΔC/ΔP

Membrane distillation L L/(G) ΔT/ΔP

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Membrane Applications:

Water/Wastewater
Food Processing Medical/Pharmaceutical
Treatment

Industrial waste stream

Mining/Metal Processes
recovery
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Slide Title:

Any Questions?
Next:

Introduction to Pressure
Driven Membranes
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Pressure Driven, MF/UF/NF/RO (1):

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Pressure Driven, MF/UF/NF/RO (2):

Classification Pore size Feed pressure (bar)

Microfiltration (MF) 0.1 – 10 µm 0.5 – 2
Ultrafiltration (UF) 5 – 100 nm 0.5 – 2
Nanofiltration (NF) < 1 nm 5 – 10
(Brackish) 10 – 20
Reverse Osmosis (RO) < 1 nm
(Seawater) 50 – 90

~ 2 bar ~ 6 bar ~ 50 bar

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Industrial Applications of MF/UF:

Field Application Products/Process

Yeast Removal Wine, Soy Sauce, Vinegar

Foods &
Filtration Fruit Juice
Beverages
Bioreactor Culture Microbe

Yeast Removal Enzyme, Antibiotics, Vitamins

MF Pharmaceuticals Bacteria Removal Drugs, Medicines

Filtration Chemicals
Chemicals
Concentration Pigment, Polymer, Inorganics

Electronics Filtration Coolant Recycle

Foods &
Purification Protein removal, Enzyme removal
Beverages
Pharmaceuticals Concentration Enzyme, Polysaccharide
UF
Chemicals Concentration Colloidal Silica, Inorganics

Electronics Purification Electrolytic Solution for Li-ion Batteries 21

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Industrial Applications of NF/RO:

Field Application Target

Groundwater (Softening, Heavy metal

Drinking water Purification removal, Nitrate removal,
Micropollutant removal)
NF
Industry Recovery Mining (metal/copper), Textile (dye)
Foods &
Concentration Juice, Milk, Alcohol and Sugar
Beverages
Desalination Purification Brackish or Seawater
Water reuse Purification Municipal/industrial wastewater

RO Ultrapure
Purification Laboratory and Semiconductor industry
water

Foods &
Concentration Juice, Milk, Alcohol and Sugar
Beverages 22
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Slide Title:

Any Questions?
Next:

Membrane Materials &

Process Design
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Membrane Materials:

Membranes

Biological Synthetic

Organic Inorganic

Polysulfone Glass
Poly(ethersulfone)
Polyacetonitrile Ceramic

Polyamide Carbon
Polyimide
Metal
Cellulose

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Membrane Terminology:

• Three key terminology

• Feed: e.g. seawater or wastewater
• Retentate: concentrated or rejected feed
• Permeate: e.g. treated/drinking water
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Membrane Performance (1): Flux (J)

• Flux (J) (L 𝑚−2 ℎ−1 ): Volumetric flowrate through a membrane per area.

𝑄𝑝
𝐽=
𝐴
• 𝑄𝑝 : Permeate flow rate (𝐿 ℎ−1 )
• 𝐴: Membrane surface area (𝑚2 )
Example: Finding membrane area from defined flux and permeate flowrate

𝑄𝑝 𝐿 ℎ−1 1000 L ℎ−1

𝐴 𝑚2 = −2 −1
= −2 −1
= 10 (𝑚 2
)
𝐽 L𝑚 ℎ 100 L 𝑚 ℎ
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Membrane Performance (2): Rejection (R)

Rejection (R) (%): Percentage of a component retained by the membrane.

Retentate
𝐶𝐹 − 𝐶𝑃 𝑄𝑅 , 𝐶𝑅
𝑅 = 100 ∙ Feed Permeate
𝐶𝐹 𝑄𝐹 , 𝐶𝐹 𝑄𝑃 , 𝐶𝑃

𝐶𝐹 = Feed concentration (𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1 )

𝐶𝑃 = Permeate concentration (𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1 )
Example: Calculate the rejection of salt (R) by an RO membrane with a salt feed concentration of 100
(𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1 ) and a permeate concentration of 1 (𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1 ).

𝐶𝐹 − 𝐶𝑃 100 𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1 − 1 𝑚𝑔 𝐿−1

𝑅 % = 100 ∙ = 100 × −1
= 99 (%)
𝐶𝐹 100 𝑚𝑔 𝐿
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Membrane Performance (3): Recovery (Rec)

Recovery (Rec) (%): Percentage of feed passing through the membrane.

Retentate
𝑄𝑃 𝑄𝑅 , 𝐶𝑅
𝑅𝑒𝑐 = 100 ∙ Feed Permeate
𝑄𝐹 𝑄𝐹 , 𝐶𝐹 𝑄𝑃 , 𝐶𝑃

𝑄𝐹 = Feed flowrate (𝐿 ℎ−1 )

𝑄𝑃 = Permeate flowrate (𝐿 ℎ−1 )
Example: Calculate the recovery of water (Rec) through an RO membrane operating with a feed flowrate of
100 𝐿 ℎ−1 and an 85 𝐿 ℎ−1 permeate flowrate.

𝑄𝑃 85 𝐿 ℎ−1
𝑅𝑒𝑐 % = 100 ∙ = 100 × −1
= 85 (%)
𝑄𝐹 100 𝐿 ℎ
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Modern Reverse Osmosis Membrane (1):

0.1 µm

2 µm

Ultra thin dense skin polyamide

Polysulfon-support
Backing layer

SEM Image 29
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Modern Reverse Osmosis Membrane (2):

Very thin separation layer

Supporting layer provides mechanical strength

and protects membrane

Spiral wound configurations allows for very high

packing density (i.e. membrane surface area)

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Lecture Summary

• Membranes: Semi-permeable barriers

• Membranes can be made from a range of materials

• There are a number of configurations, structures and driving forces

• These factors determine the application

• Key terminology and performance indicators

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