Woodhead Publishing Advanced Membrane Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Applications (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy)

Progress in membrane materials, selective membrane design, and computer modelling and simulation have contributed greatly to the application of advanced membranes in conventional and alternative power sectors, as well as to clean industry applications. Research and development of membrane systems continues apace towards the goal of simple, efficient, and easily integrated systems that offer low-cost, reliable processing and operation. This book presents a comprehensive review of membrane science and technology, focusing on developments and applications in the areas of sustainable energy and clean-industry. Key features: presents a comprehensive review of membrane science and technology, focusing on developments and applications in sustainable energy and clean-industry; discusses the fundamentals of membrane processes and separation and membrane characterization and economic analysis; addresses the key issues of membrane utilisation in coal and gas power plants and the petrochemical industry, the use of membranes for alternative energy applications and membrane utilisation in industrial and environmental applications. Contents: Part 1 Introduction to membrane science and engineering: Fundamental membrane processes, science and engineering; Fundamental science of gas and vapour separation in polymeric membranes; Characterisation of membranes for energy and environmental applications; Economic analysis of membrane use in industrial applications. Part 2 Membranes for coal and gas power plants: Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, synthesis gas processing and oxygen (O2) transport: Membrane technology for CO2 capture in power plants; Polymeric membranes for post-combustion CO2 capture; Inorganic membranes for pre-combustion CO2 capture; Inorganic membranes for synthesis gas processing; O2 transport membranes: Dense ceramic membranes for power plant applications. Part 3 Membranes for the petrochemical industry: hydrocarbon fuel and natural gas processing, and advanced biofuels production: Membranes for hydrocarbon fuel processing and separation; Polymeric membranes for natural gas processing; Membranes for advanced biofuels production. Part 4 Membranes for alternative energy applications: Batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen (H2) production: Ion exchange membranes for vanadium redox flow batteries; Membranes for lithium batteries; Proton exchange membranes for fuel cells; Functional ceramic hollow fibre membranes for catalytic membrane reactors and solid oxide fuel cells; Proton conducting ceramic membranes for solid oxide fuel cells and H2 processing; Membrane electrolysers for H2 production; Biomimetic membrane reactors for H2 production. Part 5 Membranes for industrial, environmental and nuclear applications: Membranes for industrial microfiltration and ultrafiltration; Membranes for forward osmosis in industrial applications; Degradation of polymeric membranes in water and wastewater treatment; Membranes for photocatalysis in water and wastewater treatment; Membranes for nuclear power applications.