Membrane Separation--Growth Opportunities in Petrochemicals; Pharmaceuticals; Wastewater Treatment; Gas Separation; and Other Expanding Sectors

SUMMARY

Report Overview

Membrane Technology Here to Stay in Chemicals Industry

Membrane separation technology is increasingly being utilized in the chemicals industry for a wide range of applications such as removing waterfrom organics using hydrophilic membranes. The membrane-based process of pervaporation is gaining importance and is now routinely used in thechemicals industry for splitting azeotropes. Essentially, the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries represent opportunities for membrane separationtechnology to isolate a pure product.

This Technical Insights study offers you in-depth coverage of key developments and trends in membrane separation. This research provides valuableinformation by way of latest technology breakthroughs, detailed lists of pertinent patents along with abstracts, and profiles of key companies.Discussions of emerging markets and novel medical applications, as well as the impact of regulatory issues on membrane markets and research are alsoincluded.

Medical Applications Provide Huge Opportunities

"Medical applications represent a major market for membranes," says the analyst. Demand for safe blood supplies, dialysis therapy forend-stage renal disease (ESRD), and blood processing are strong drivers for the continuous development of membrane-based technologies. Membranefiltration technologies are also finding use in genomics, proteomics, drug discovery, and general laboratory applications in life sciences research,while medical and bioscience research are generating demand for sophisticated membrane separation and ultra pure water.

Among emerging medical applications, one of the most exciting is the development of an artificial lung based on the Intravenous Membrane Oxygenator.Animal testing has proved that this lung can handle 40 percent of normal lung function, enough to replace the ventilator in some patient groups.

Need for Clean Water, Environment Fuel Research

Strong market forces such as the over-riding need for clean water and environment spur constant research and development of these technologies.Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane separation, a major water desalination process, is expected to grow by nearly 10 percent annually. Research aimed atreducing air pollution has yielded advanced membrane technologies that remove carbon dioxide from flue gas and send it to greenhouses to improve cropyields, as well as remove sulfur from gasoline.

Major industrial applications are also driving the membrane market. Gas separation applications and the natural gas, oil, and petrochemicalsindustries are key markets for membrane separation technologies. "Although there are a number of companies that have well-established gasseparation production using membrane technologies, research continues to improve gas separation processes for specific applications," says theanalyst. Sweetening of natural gas and reducing its high nitrogen content are other challenging but important applications.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

Overview

Scope and Methodology

Technology Description

Overview

Key Developments

2 INTRODUCTION--APPLICATIONS; ADVANTAGES; HISTORY

What Is Membrane Separation

Definitions of Some Key Words

Sorting by Pore Size

More Separation Processes

Applications of Membrane Separation

Water Purification: From Potable to Ultrapure

Industrial Applications

Advantages

Reduction in Operating Costs

Energy Savings

Environmental Advantages

History of Membrane Separation

Early Work

Serious Membrane Separation R&D Begins

Reverse Osmosis is Invented

3 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS

Membrane Modules

Membrane Modules

Hollow Fiber

Plate and Frame

Spiral Wound

Membrane Adsorbers

Molecular Sieves

Principles of Membrane Separation

Reverse Osmosis

Microfiltration; Ultrafiltration; and Nanofiltration

Dialysis

Flow Patterns Used in Membrane Separation

Membrane Compositions

Polymers

Ceramics

Metals

Computer Based Tools

Computer Based Tools

4 TECHNOLOGY; APPLICATIONS; AND MARKETS IMPACT ANALYSIS

Market Driving Forces

Need for Pure/Clean Water

Environmental Concerns

Medical Applications

Economic Advantages

Regulatory Issues

Clean Water

Clean Air and Global Warming

Major Markets

Water

Dairy; Food and Beverage

Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

Natural Gas; Oil; and Petrochemicals

Gas Separation

Medical Applications

Emerging Markets

Fuel Cells; Advanced Batteries; and Other Energy Sources

Pollution Controls

Bottled Water

Medical Devices

Market Challenges

Competing Technologies

Membrane Fouling

Membrane Robustness

Cost of R&D

5 IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS AT COMPANIES IN THE KEY MARKETS

Water; Wastewater Processing and Water Reuse

CANDESAL International Corporation

Hydranautics/ Nitto Denko

Zenon Environmental Inc.

Gas Separation/ Fuel Cells

Air Liquide/MEDAL

Compact Membrane Systems Inc.

Foster-Miller Inc.

Praxair Inc.

REB Research and Consulting

Hydrocarbon Processing/ Petrochemicals/ Oil & Gas

Davison Membranes/ W. R. Grace & Co

Membrane Technology & Research Inc.

NATCO Group: Cynara Membrane Systems

Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/ Pharmaceutical

Alung Technologies Inc.

Baxter Healthcare Corporation/Baxter International Inc.

Millipore Corporation

Research & Development

Eltron Research Inc.

eSpin Technologies Inc.

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering

Kiwa N.V. Water Research

InnovaTek Inc.

PTI Advanced Filtration Inc.

QinetiQ

TNO Environment; Energy; and Process Innovation

Multiple Markets

CeraMem Corporation

Pall Corporation

Sulzer Chemtech Membrane Systems

6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IMPACTING INDUSTRY: PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS WORLDWIDE

Government Supported Laboratories

Argonne National Laboratory

CEA-Grenoble; Technology Research Division

GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH

Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC)

National Research Council Canada

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Water Treatment Engineering and Research Group

University R&D

Georgia Institute of Technology; School of Chemical Engineering

McMaster University; Department of Chemistry

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) University and Research Outreach Program

Northwestern University; Department of Mechanical Engineering

Pennsylvania State University; Department of Chemical Engineering

Technion; Israel Institute of Technology; Chemical Engineering Department

University of California; Riverside; Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering

University of Glasgow; Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Kentucky; College of Engineering; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering

University of Nevada; Department of Civil Engineering

University of Twente; European Membrane Institute Twente

7 CASE STUDIES AND PROJECTS

Case Studies

Emergency Response Water Treatment

Membrane Treatment of Oil Field Produced Water

Putting an End to Cork-taint

Projects

Six Million Gallons Per Day from Lake Erie

Water for a Remote Saudi Village

World's Largest MF Plant in Victoria; Australia

8 TECHNICAL INSIGHTS 2003 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

Technology Innovation

Award Description

Award Recipient

Technology Leadership

Award Description

Award Recipient

9 REFERENCES; CONTACT INFORMATION; PATENTS; AND GLOSSARY

References and Contact Information

Useful URLs

Organizations

Government Websites

Contact Information

Patents and Glossary

Patents

Glossary