Hollow fiber membrane contactors. Introduction and perspectives

Abstract

Over the last two decades, hollow fiber contactor-based technology has grown into an accepted unit operation for a wide variety of separations. The increase in the use of this technology, owing to strict environmental regulations and legislation, together with a growing preference for it over conventional separation processes, has led to a spectacular advance in membrane development, module configurations, and various applications. Future perspectives on the success of HFMC technology research and its impact on membrane separations are key directions for the researchers and experts working in this field. As considerable progress has been made in a number of key areas, with some important and unanticipated developments, this type of technology assessment can play an important role in setting the directions for future research and development, both for individual scientists and engineers and for the broader membrane community.