Membrane Technologies for Biorefining

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.

PART 1: Membrane Processes and Membrane Preparation

1. Polymeric membrane preparation and characterisation for biorefining

2. Inorganic membrane preparation and characterisation for biorefining

3. Mixed matrix membrane preparation and characterisation for biorefining

4. Organic-inorganic composite membrane preparation and characterization for biorefining

PART 2: Integrated Membrane Operations for the Recovery of Chemical Feedstocks

5. Membranes for lignin and hemicellulose recovery in pulp mills

6. Membranes for the recovery of organic acids from fermentation broths

7. Recovery of polyphenols from olive mill wastewaters by membrane operations

8. Recovery of high-added value compounds from food waste by membrane technology

PART 3: Integrated Membrane Operations for Biofuel Production

9. Membranes for the removal of fermentation inhibitors in biomass pre-treatment

10. Membranes for ethanol dehydration

11. Bio-Oil Production and Upgrading: New Challenges for Membranes Applications

12. Biodiesel separation and purification using membrane technology

13. Harvesting algal biomass for biofuels using membranes

PART 4: Membrane Reactors

14. Membrane bioreactors for bioenergy production: an introduction

15. Membrane reactors for biomass hydrolysis

16. Pervaporation membrane reactors: biomass conversion into alcohols

17. Membrane reactors for methanol synthesis from forest-derived feedstocks

18. Hydrogen production from pyrolysis-derived bio-oil using membrane reactors

19. Membrane reactors for hydrogen production from biomass-derived oxygenates (methanol, ethanol, etc.)

20. Biomethane production by biogas with polymeric membrane module

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.
Alfredo Cassano, a Biologist, is senior Researcher at ITM-CNR since 2000. He has a long experience in the field of membrane science and technology with research expertise including pressure-driven membrane processes, membrane contactors and integrated membrane operations mainly applied to w

• 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