SESSION: Fall 1999

INSTRUCTORS:  Winston Ho, AH 467-E
                                    257-4815; E-mail: wsho@engr.uky.edu
 
                                    D. Bhattacharyya, 169-A Anderson Hall
                                    257-2794; E-mail: db@engr.uky.edu
                                    www: http://www.engr.uky.edu/cme/db/dbhome.html

TEXTBOOK: Membrane Handbook (ed. by Ho and Sirkar), Chapman Hall, 1992 (recommended)

REFERENCE BOOKS / Journals:

Mulder, M., Basic Principles of Membrane Technology, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996

Sourirajan, S. and Matsuura, T., Reverse Osmosis/Ultrafiltration Principles, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 1985

Rautenbach, R. and Albrecht, R., Membrane Processes, John Wiley, 1989

Noble, R. D. and Stern, S. A., Membrane Separations Technology: Principles and Applications, Elsevier, 1995

Howell, J.A., Sanchez, V., and Field, R. W. (EDITORS), Membranes in Bioprocessing, Chapman Hall, 1993

Kesting, R. E., Synthetic Polymeric Membranes: A structural Perspective, John Wiley, 1985

Biofunctional Membranes (ed. by D. A. Butterfield), Plenum Press, 1996

J. Membrane Science, Desalination, NAMS Annual Reviews, Chem. Eng. Communication, AIChE Journal, I&EC Research

GOALS: Membrane processes have applications ranging from selectve separation to solvent and material recovery. This course will enable students to understand and solve membrane-based separation/reaction problems by acquiring in-depth knowledge in the area of membrane separation mechanisms, transport models, membrane permeability computations, membrane types and modules, membrane reactors, etc.

COURSE MATERIAL:

I. INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS

Separation concepts; diffusion across a thin film; terminology; driving force; biological vs. synthetic membranes, modules, membrane reactors

II. GENERAL TRANSPORT MODELS

Concentration and pressure gradients; solution - diffusion models; concentration polarization; membrane-solute interactions

III. REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO) AND NANOFILTRATION (NF)

Membrane selection procedures; polymer types; osmotic pressure; theory (S-D model, Surface Force-Pore Flow model, Nernst-Planck model for charged membranes); flux drop due to organic solute - membrane interactions; membrane fouling; design considerations and modules; optimum conditions; selective separations by NF; pretreatment; applications (desalination, waste treatment, etc.); economic considerations.

IV. MEMBRANE POLYMERS/PREPARATION

Polymer selection; Phase inversion membranes; thermodynamics; interfacial polymerization; membrane morphology
 

V. PERVAPORATION (PV) / VAPOR PERMEATION /GAS SEPARATION

  Mechanisms; selectivity and flux; S-D and VLE based models; azeotrope separation; concentration polarization (organic permeable membranes); applications (alcohol concentration, VOC and other pollutant separations,etc.); design needs, selective vapor separation from air/nitrogen; O₂/N₂ (air) separation; Hydrogen recovery

VI. ULTRAFILTRATION (UF) AND MICROFILTRATION (MF)

Membrane properties; concentration polarization and fouling; protein fouling; crossflow and deadend microfiltration; selected applications and economics.

VII. MEMBRANE REACTORS / BIOREACTORS /DIALYSIS/SENSORS

Catalytic membranes; nonporous and porous inorganic membranes; equilibrium limited reactions; Membrane reactor for hazardous pollutant degradation; Biofunctional membranes (Immobilized enzymes, covalent attachment methods, affinity chromatography, transport models); functionalized membranes; dialysis; artificial kidney; membrane-based sensors (Guest lecturer: Dr. Leonidas Bachas)

VIII. MEMBRANE CONTACTORS / LIQUID MEMBRANES

Gas absorption/stripping; solvent extraction; key equations and mass-transfer correlations; mass transfer with chemical reaction; facilitated transport

IX. MEMBRANE APPLICATIONS FOR WATER/WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND SYSTEM DESIGN

Hybrid processes and novel applications; Selected Environmental applications involving for water reuse and material recovery; Membrane flux and separation optimization.

EXAMS, HOMEWORK AND PROJECT:

Homework and project: as assigned in class

Grading: Homework* and group project 20%

Concept quizzes 15%

Exams I and II 40%

Final Exam 25%
 

* includes problems, summary reports (plus short class presentations) of selected literature articles[ for students attending the ‘99 Annual AIChE Meeting, one of the summary reports must include a presentation (in membrane area) you attended], Mathcad/Maple-based computational problems

 
Course Objectives/Expected Outcomes:

1. application of diffusion and transport models for the calculation of membrane flux, extent of separation, and concentration polarization for various membrane systems.

2. types of experimental data needed for the calculation of membrane permeability parameters

3. membrane process selection and component design as part of homework assignments.

4. group membrane project in conventional and new membrane application area.

5. communication (written report and short oral presentation) of the critical findings of selected literature articles and group project.

6. advancement of membrane techniques to solve environmental problems.

7. use of computer tools to analyze (various scenarios) and calculate membrane separation characteristics.