Separation processes: Playing a critical role

Abstract

Separation processes are the main cog in the manufacturing well of the chemical process industries (CPI). They are used for such essential chores as removal of contaminants from raw materials, recovery and purification of primary products, and elimination of contaminants from effluent water and air streams. This article provides an overview of key separation processes, highlights recent commercial developments, and provides insights on expected new developments. It focuses o the core processes for fluid mixture separations--distillation, extraction, adsorption, membranes, and their hybrid systems. Other important processes, such as crystallization and fluid/particle separations, are left for others to cover. 40 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.