ABSTRACT
Membrane separations are based on the preferential permeation or rejection of various solute molecules in semi-permeable polymer or inorganic membranes. The driving force for mass transfer through the thin membranes is mechanical pressure. Membrane separations are low-energy operations, and they are less expensive than the conventional thermal separations, i.e., evaporation and distillation. Typical examples of membrane separations are ultrafiltration (recovery of proteins), reverse osmosis (desalination of water), and pervaporation (separation of ethanol).
