Education on Membrane Science and Technology

Abstract

The effective teaching of membrane science and technology is an important issue that should be addressed by the academic community. Educational initiatives are crucial to the continued technical growth and wide-scale commercialization of membrane processes. Education on membrane fundamentals and process engineering is important. This paper will primarily examine the engineering side of membrane technology education. Subject matter that is process-oriented can be incorporated at various levels in the chemical engineering curriculum. Lower level courses could mention membrane processes when chemical separations are discussed. Upper level undergraduate courses might focus more on applications and systems engineering. Chemistry courses can be modified to include appropriate information on the fundamentals of membrane science. Courses in areas such as polymer science/engineering, biotechnology and environmental engineering are excellent candidates for incorporation of membrane technology. There are many approaches to membrane technology instruction at the graduate level. Courses in advanced separation processes or those that just address membranes can be structured to include system design and applications. Laboratory experiments provide the greatest opportunity to acquaint students with membrane principles, design and applications without significant curriculum modification. A variety of process oriented laboratory experiments using equipment ranging in size from hand-held systems to pilot-scale units can be performed. Experiments in membrane material science could include fabricating various membrane materials and characterizing them.