Liquid Membrane Technology for Sustainable Separations

Abstract

This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of the liquid membrane (LM) technology applied for sustainable separations. The basic concepts and definitions of LMs are presented, along with a selection of the most relevant applications for the development of sustainable processes. Fundamental aspects inherent to the liquid membrane operation are given as well to help the reader understand the scope of the technology and its current limitations. LMs are classified into three main configurations: bulk liquid membrane, emulsion liquid membrane, and supported liquid membrane. A range of mathematical transport models for LMs can be found in the literature. Although the derivation of transport models depends strongly on the specific system constituents and LM configuration, i.e. physical phases and contactor arrangement, the solute-diffusion approach is their common starting point. LM technology has proved to be a sustainable separation method at a laboratory scale, which could potentially replace commercial LLX systems for several applications.