OVERVIEW

The teaching will provide the basic knowledge for understanding the various membrane separation processes and technologies. Fundamental principles on membrane preparation and characterization will be provided too. The students will acquire problem solving skills useful in selecting the most suitable membrane and technology for solve the specific industrial separation problem.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of this course is to provide students with a basic knowledge in exploiting the principles of membrane technology for process separations in chemical and food processes. The students will have the opportunity to apply the discussed principles in specially designed laboratory experiences. Students are expected to demonstrate the following industry-oriented learning outcomes: master the principal membrane characterization techniques, identify the ideal membrane for a given task, deal with various transport models to assess the membrane flux and the extent of separation, compare a given membrane technology with other separation methods, apply traditional and novel membrane technologies in process industries.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the teaching, the students will:

• Have a basic knowledge on the most common materials commonly used for membrane preparation.
• Know the different membrane preparation techniques, understanding the effect of the operative variables on the membrane structure and performance.
• Know the characteristics of the main membrane separation techniques and will have the knowledge required to select the most adequate separation technique for each possible application.

PREREQUISITES

There are no official prerequisites for the teaching. However, a basic knowledge on transport phenomena is strongly suggested.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of traditional lectures for a total of 40 hours (5CFU) and three laboratory experiences for a total of 13 hours (1CFU).

Attendance at the laboratory is mandatory, as per the Teaching Regulations. The laboratory will be taught by the professors in charge of teaching, assisted by laboratory tutors. At the beginning of each laboratory activity there will be a brief theoretical introduction on the principles behind the methodologies that will be used. In the practical part, students, divided into groups of three or four, will have to apply the provided experimental protocol and the described methods. At the end of the lectures, group reports on the laboratory experiences will have to be handed in. The organization and dates of the laboratory activities will be communicated directly by the lecturers at the beginning of class.

Lesson presentations are uploaded to the corresponding aul@web

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Theory lessons

1. Generalities on membranes
2. Membrane preparation
   1. Membrane materials
   2. Membrane preparation techniques
3. Membrane characterization techniques
4. Membrane separation technologies
5. Transport mechanisms through porous and dense membranes
6. Examples of industrial applications

Laboratory experiences:

1. Non-solvent induced phase separation membrane preparation.
2. Membrane characterization.
3. Test on a membrane-based separation plant.

Based on the objectives described, the teaching contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals of the ONU 2030 Agenda:

• Goal 4: Quality education;
• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;
• Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all;
• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable;
• Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns;
• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

R.W. Baker, Membrane Technology and Applications, Wiley, Chichester, UK, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118359686.

M. Mulder, Basic Principles of Membrane Technology, Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1766-8.

N. Hilal, A.F. Ismail, C. Wright, eds., Membrane Fabrication, CRC Press, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1201/b18149.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCELLO PAGLIERO (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The start of the lessons will be available on the Degree Course website.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is an oral examination conducted by two teachers for a duration of at least 30 minutes.

The exam will begin analysing the reports prepared on the laboratory experiences and then it will proceed with a discussion on the theoretical aspects of membrane preparation, characterization and separation processes.

During the calendar year, seven exam dates are set up within the time intervals scheduled by the Manifesto degli Studi.

For students with disabilities or with SLD, the examination methods refer to the specific regulations of the University of Genova (https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Goal of the assessment is to verify the student’s understanding of the effect of the main membrane properties on membrane separation processes performance as well as the application field of such technologies. Moreover, use of the specific terminology will be verified.

Otherwise, the student is invited to deepen his preparation also by taking advantage of further explanations by the teacher before repeating the exam.

For students with disabilities or with Learning Disability (DSA), the examination methods are consistent with the University regulations for the conduct of the exams (https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa).

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.