Synthetic membranes for water purification : status and future

Membrane technology offers the best options to “drought proof” mankind on an increasingly thirsty planet by purifying seawater or used (waste) water. Although desalination by reverse osmosis (RO) and wastewater treatment by membrane bioreactors are well established the various membrane technologies...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fane, Anthony G., Wang, Rong, Hu, Matthew X.
Other Authors: Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/106589
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/25008
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201409783
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
Description
Summary:Membrane technology offers the best options to “drought proof” mankind on an increasingly thirsty planet by purifying seawater or used (waste) water. Although desalination by reverse osmosis (RO) and wastewater treatment by membrane bioreactors are well established the various membrane technologies still need to be significantly improved in terms of separation properties, energy demand and costs. We can now define the ideal characteristics of membranes and advances in material science and novel chemistries are leading to increasingly effective membranes. However developments in membranes must be matched by improved device design and membrane engineering. It is likely that limitations in fluid mechanics and mass transfer will define the upper bounds of membrane performance. Nevertheless major advances and growth over the next 20 years can be anticipated with RO remaining as the key to desalination and reclamation, with other membrane processes growing in support and in niche areas.