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Membrane Technologies for Biorefining

  • 1st Edition - February 19, 2016
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Alberto Figoli, Alfredo Cassano, Angelo Basile
  • Language: English

Membrane Technologies for Biorefining highlights the best practices needed for the efficient and environmentally-compatible separation techniques that are fundamental to the conve… Read more

Description

Membrane Technologies for Biorefining highlights the best practices needed for the efficient and environmentally-compatible separation techniques that are fundamental to the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals for use as alternatives to petroleum refining.

Membrane technologies are increasingly of interest in biorefineries due to their modest energy consumption, low chemical requirements, and excellent separation efficiency. The book provides researchers in academia and industry with an authoritative overview of the different types of membranes and highlights the ways in which they can be applied in biorefineries for the production of chemicals and biofuels. Topics have been selected to highlight both the variety of raw materials treated in biorefineries and the range of biofuel and chemical end-products.

Key features

  • Presents the first book to focus specifically on membrane technologies in biorefineries
  • Provides a comprehensive overview of the different types of membranes and highlight ways in which they can be applied in biorefineries for the production of chemicals and biofuels
  • Topics selected highlight both the variety of raw materials treated using membranes in biorefineries and the range of biofuel and chemical end-products

Readership

Research and development professionals in the membrane and biorefinery industries as well as postgraduate researchers in academia working on membranes and biorefineries

Table of contents

  • Related titles
  • List of contributors
  • Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy
  • Part One. Membrane processes and membrane preparation
    • 1. Advance membrane separation processes for biorefineries
      • 1.1. Introduction
      • 1.2. Lignocellulose biomass
      • 1.3. Second-generation bioethanol production
      • 1.4. Biodiesel
      • 1.5. Biogas
      • 1.6. Recovery of valuable chemical feedstock from waste biomass and biofuel production
      • 1.7. Biocatalytic membrane reactor and principals and application to biorefining
      • 1.8. Multiscale modeling of bioreactors aimed at second-generation biofuels from waste biomasses
      • 1.9. Future trends in biorefinery
      • 1.10. Conclusions
      • List of acronyms
    • 2. Polymeric membranes in biorefinery
      • 2.1. Introduction
      • 2.2. Preparation of polymeric membranes
      • 2.3. Application of polymeric membranes in biorefinery
      • 2.4. Conclusions and future challenges
      • List of acronyms
    • 3. Mixed-matrix membranes: Preparation and characterization for biorefining
      • 3.1. Introduction
      • 3.2. Preparation of mixed-matrix membranes
      • 3.3. Characterization of mixed-matrix membranes
      • 3.4. Mixed-matrix membranes in biorefinery processes
      • 3.5. Conclusion and future perspectives
      • List of symbols
      • List of acronyms
    • 4. Organic–inorganic composite membrane preparation and characterization for biorefining
      • 4.1. Introduction
      • 4.2. Inorganic–organic composite membranes
      • 4.3. Application in biorefineries
      • 4.4. Conclusion and future trends
      • List of acronyms
  • Part Two. Integrated membrane operations for the recovery of chemical feedstocks
    • 5. Membranes for lignin and hemicellulose recovery in pulp mills
      • 5.1. Introduction
      • 5.2. Raw materials for pulp production
      • 5.3. Pulping processes
      • 5.4. Sulphite pulping
      • 5.5. Kraft pulping
      • 5.6. Dissolving pulp
      • 5.7. Thermomechanical pulping
      • 5.8. Chemithermomechanical pulping
      • 5.9. Conclusions and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 6. Membranes for the recovery of organic acids from fermentation broths
      • 6.1. Introduction
      • 6.2. Clarification of fermentation broth using microfiltration and nanofiltration
      • 6.3. Electro-driven process for organic acid production
      • 6.4. Industrialization
      • 6.5. Some other classical types of integration of membrane process for organic acid recovery
      • 6.6. Challenges and perspective
      • 6.7. Conclusion and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 7. Recovery of polyphenols from olive mill wastewaters by membrane operations
      • 7.1. Introduction
      • 7.2. Valorization methods
      • 7.3. Integrated membrane processes
      • 7.4. Conclusions and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 8. Recovery of high-added-value compounds from food waste by membrane technology
      • 8.1. Introduction
      • 8.2. Separation of functional micromolecules and macromolecules from food waste
      • 8.3. Recovery of high-added-value compounds using ultrafiltration
      • 8.4. Recovery of high-added-value compounds by nanofiltration
      • 8.5. Economic framework of membrane technology for recovery of valuable solutes
      • 8.6. Conclusions and future trends
      • List of acronyms
  • Part Three. Integrated membrane operations for biofuel production
    • 9. Membranes for the removal of fermentation inhibitors from biofuel production
      • 9.1. Introduction
      • 9.2. Types of inhibitors
      • 9.3. Detoxification processes
      • 9.4. Membrane-based detoxification processes
      • 9.5. Conclusions and future directions
      • List of symbols
    • 10. Membranes for ethanol dehydration
      • 10.1. Introduction
      • 10.2. Hydrophilic pervaporation
      • 10.3. Pervaporation membranes
      • 10.4. Conclusions and future trends
      • List of symbols
      • List of acronyms
    • 11. Bio-oil production and upgrading: New challenges for membrane applications
      • 11.1. Introduction
      • 11.2. Thermal conversion of biomass to liquid
      • 11.3. Separation processes
      • 11.4. Membrane-based separation processes
      • 11.5. Bio-oil upgrading
      • 11.6. Conclusions and future trends
    • 12. Biodiesel production and purification using membrane technology
      • 12.1. Introduction
      • 12.2. Biodiesel production process
      • 12.3. Biodiesel purification by wet and dry washing
      • 12.4. Membrane separation processes for biodiesel purification
      • 12.5. Intensified process: membrane reactors
      • 12.6. Conclusions and future trends
    • 13. Algae harvesting
      • 13.1. Introduction
      • 13.2. Algae harvesting
      • 13.3. Membrane filtration: advantages and disadvantages
      • 13.4. Current membrane design
      • 13.5. Water and nutrient recycling
      • 13.6. Conclusion and future trends
  • Part Four. Membrane reactors
    • 14. Pervaporation membrane reactors: Biomass conversion into alcohols
      • 14.1. Introduction
      • 14.2. Production of bioalcohols
      • 14.3. Biobutanol
      • 14.4. Industrial processes
      • 14.5. Application of PV for bioalcohol production
      • 14.6. Current alternatives to membrane reactors
      • 14.7. Other applications of membrane PV reactors
      • 14.8. Conclusions and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 15. Membrane reactors for methanol synthesis from forest-derived feedstocks
      • 15.1. Introduction
      • 15.2. Biomass feedstocks
      • 15.3. Issues confronting biomass
      • 15.4. Biomass-to-energy conversion technologies
      • 15.5. Types of biomass gasifiers
      • 15.6. Methanol
      • 15.7. Synthesis gas-to-methanol conversion
      • 15.8. Conventional methanol synthesis reactor
      • 15.9. Process deficiencies and modifications
      • 15.10. Membrane technology
      • 15.11. Membrane reactor for methanol synthesis
      • 15.12. Parameters affecting methanol synthesis in a membrane reactor
      • 15.13. Economic evaluations
      • 15.14. Conclusion and future trends
    • 16. Hydrogen production from pyrolysis-derived bio-oil using membrane reactors
      • 16.1. Introduction
      • 16.2. Conventional methods for hydrogen production
      • 16.3. Major drawbacks of conventional methods
      • 16.4. Hydrogen production from pyrolysis-derived bio-oil
      • 16.5. Membrane technology
      • 16.6. Hydrogen-selective membrane materials
      • 16.7. Desired hydrogen-selective membrane material
      • 16.8. Membrane reactor configuration
      • 16.9. Factors affecting hydrogen production in a membrane reactor
      • 16.10. Conclusion and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 17. Membrane reactors for hydrogen production from biomass-derived oxygenates
      • 17.1. Introduction
      • 17.2. Different technologies of hydrogen production from biomass-derived oxygenates
      • 17.3. Membrane reactors for hydrogen production from biomass-derived oxygenates
      • 17.4. Conclusion and future trends
      • List of acronyms
    • 18. Biomethane production by biogas with polymeric membrane module
      • 18.1. Introduction
      • 18.2. Production of biomethane
      • 18.3. Applications of biomethane
      • 18.4. Conclusions and future trends
  • Index

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: February 19, 2016
  • Language: English

About the editors

AF

Alberto Figoli

Dr. Alberto Figoli obtained his PhD degree at Membrane Technology Group, Twente University (Enschede, The Netherlands) in 2001. He graduated in Food Science and Technology at the Agriculture University of Milan 1996. Since December 2001, he has a permanent position as Researcher at Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR) in Rende (CS), Italy.

He also had international experience in industrial research labs: about 1 year (1996) at Quest International Nederland B.V. (ICI), Process Research Group, Naarden (The Netherlands) on “Setting of a pilot plant for aromatic compounds extraction using the pervaporation (PV) membrane technology”; Secondment in 2010 and 2011 at GVS, SpA, Bologna, within the EU project “Implementation of Membrane Technology to Industry” (IMETI) on “Preparation and Characterisation of hybrid membranes for VOCs removal”.

He was granted for the “Short Term Mobility Programme” by CNR, in 2004 and 2005, at the “Environmental Protection Agency of United States (USEPA)”, Sustainable Technology Division, Cincinnati (USA) on “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and aroma removal using a novel asymmetric membrane by pervaporation” nell’ambito dello “Short Term Mobility Programme” funded CNR.

He is responsible and involved in various National and International projects. He is also responsible, within the CNR organisation, for two research lines on membrane preparation and characterisation and on pervaporation (PV) applications.

He is author of more than 60 research papers in peer reviewed journals, several book chapters, a book, two patents and many oral presentations (also as invited lecture) in National and International Conferences and Workshops.

Affiliations and expertise
Institute on Membrane Technology, Italian National Research Council, Italy

AC

Alfredo Cassano

Alfredo Cassano has worked as a Researcher at CNR-ITM in Italy since 2000. Trained in Biology, he specializes in membrane science and technology, including conventional membrane processes, membrane contactors, and integrated membrane operations used for wastewater treatment and agro-food applications. He has led or directed research through numerous national MIUR-funded projects, as well as European Union international projects and industry collaborations. Cassano contributes to the scientific community through editorial-board roles and has co-authored several books, numerous journal articles, and chapters, alongside conference and invited work, and two national patents. His interests include recovering bioactive compounds from by-products, membrane distillation, osmotic distillation, and wastewater remediation, motivated by bridging membrane technology with practical AI/ML and real-time monitoring to advance circular economy resource recovery.
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Researcher, Institute on Membrane Technology of the Italian National Research Council, ITM-CNR, University of Calbria, Rende, Italy

AB

Angelo Basile

Angelo Basile is a Full Professor and a leading authority in membrane science and technology. Since 2014, he has served as Full Professor in Systems, Methods and Technologies of Chemical Engineering Processes at CNR-ITM in Rende, Italy. His work covers hydrogen purification and production using membrane reactors, CO₂ capture, process intensification, and the treatment of industrial effluents with advanced membrane operations. Basile has edited many scientific books and authored numerous book chapters, bridging complex research with clear knowledge for engineers and scientists. Motivated by the role of AI/ML in accelerating membrane process design and automation, he supports integrating data-driven methods for smart plants and reaction–separation optimisation.

Affiliations and expertise
Senior Researcher, ITM-CNR, University of Calabria, Italy

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