Advances in solvent extraction and membrane based separation technologies for process intensification

Separation science and technology has its role in almost everything we have in our day to day life. The list of separation techniques in use is large and enormous efforts are underway to develop new techniques to make the separation more effective to meet the ever increasing challenge as our resources are becoming lean with time along with more stringent environmental regulations. Solvent extraction, more precisely liquid-liquid extraction technology, was pioneered in the 1940s for the extraction of uranium from its ore. Today its use in hydrometallurgy extends to a wide range of metals from a variety of feed materials including low-grade ores, scrap and waste, and dilute aqueous solutions. In the last two decades, membrane technologies have evolved as effective separation tools and are supplementing the conventional tools. Being less energy intensive eco-friendly ambient temperature operation, the membrane processes have very high potential to improve process efficiency in synergism with conventional operations. Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has embarked upon research program related to different aspects of solvent extraction and membrane based separations. The research program can broadly be classified into four categories - research and development on conventional contactors, novel contactors, research aimed at developing better and task specific solvents and membrane based separations. (author)