抄録
This presentation covers two areas using facilitated transport membranes: (1) the removal and recovery of heavy metals from waste waters by supported liquid membranes (SLMs) with strip dispersion and (2) fuel processing with carbon dioxide-selective membranes for fuel cells. New membrane technology based on SLMs with strip dispersion for the removal and recovery of metals, including chromium, copper, zinc, and strontium, from waste waters has been developed. The technology not only removes the targeted metal in the treated effluent allowable for discharge or recycle, but also recovers the metal at high concentration and purity suitable for resale or reuse. In other words, the goals of zero discharge and no sludge have been achievable. The SLMs contain selected complexing agents/carriers for the facilitated transport of the target species. The stability of the SLM has been ensured by engineering the modified SLM with strip dispersion. Recently, new membranes for the removal of carbon dioxide from hydrogen-containing reformed gases have been synthesized by incorporating amino groups into polymer networks. The membranes are selective to carbon dioxide preferentially versus hydrogen since carbon dioxide permeates through the amine-containing membranes via the facilitated transport mechanism due to its reaction with the amine. This type of membranes has the potential for fuel processing for environmentally friendly fuel cells, including the use of the membranes both in the membrane reactor configuration to enhance water gas shift reaction and in the purification of hydrogen for the reformed gas generated from the partial oxidation of liquid fuel (e.g., gasoline or diesel). Our modeling results of the membrane reactor show that significant hydrogen enhancement via carbon dioxide removal and CO reduction to 10 ppm or lower are achievable.
