IEA IETS Task 17: Membrane processes in biorefineries (Working period 2024 - 2025)

The Austrian contribution to IEA Task XVII includes the following objectives: the collection of knowledge and the exchange of know-how between industrial and academic partners at national and international level, the management of the international Subtask D "Emerging membrane processes for biorefineries" and participation in Subtasks A (Integration and optimization of membrane processes), C (Membranes and modules for biorefinery applications) and E (Water and resource recovery in biorefineries).

The following thematic areas are addressed in detail as the state of research as subordinate objectives: the applicability of membrane distillation for the recovery of pure water and valuable substances, particularly in the paper and food industries. Primarily, research results on pure water production, treatment and reuse of wastewater in the production process and the separation of valuable substances (e.g. dissolved ions) are selected and integrated into the guideline. Another goal is the selective separation of high-priced volatile substances, in particular ammonia. This concerns the separation of volatile, high-priced substances (e.g. hydrogen, methane or ammonia) using suitable membrane materials, application requirements, innovative plant concepts and the use of fluorine-free (sustainable) membranes. In addition, novel membrane modules for the treatment of streams with a high solids content are being investigated. Material flows that contain valuable substances usually have a high solids content and can therefore only be separated with increased effort using conventional separation technologies, as one or more pre-treatment steps are usually required. Research results on innovative membrane modules for flat and hollow fibers and process conditions that address these limitations are examined here.

All three selected topics are incorporated as a national contribution into the international Task XVII and are an essential part of the expansion and continuation of the existing guideline: "Membranes in Biorefineries 3.0." The updated guideline is a goal for networking and dissemination. The aim of the guideline is to compactly summarize user-oriented knowledge from international and national experts, their publications and applications and to provide the document on the IEA website, the national platform nachhaltigwirtschaften.at, and to share within the industry and research network, making it available to a larger interest group.

The international consortium of IEA Task XVII includes partners from industry and academia from Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, and Sweden. (International Task Leader: Lund University).

• Subtask A: Integration and optimization of membrane processes in biorefineries (coordinated by ITM-CNR, Italy)
• Subtask B: Membrane fouling and cleaning in biorefineries (coordinated by Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal)
• Subtask C: Membranes and modules for biorefinery applications (coordinated by Institut Européen des Membranes - Université de Montpellier, France)
• Subtask D: Procesos de membrana emergentes para biorefinerías (coordinated by AEE INTEC, Austria)

Project leader

Dipl.-Ing. Dr. nat. techn. Christoph Höfer
Water & Process Technologies Group
AEE - Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien (AEE INTEC)
A-8200 Gleisdorf, Feldgasse 19
E-Mail: c.hoefer@aee.at

Project partner

Univ.Prof. DI Dr. Michael Harasek
Separations Engineering and Biorefinery Technology
Institute of Chemical, Environmental & Bioscience Engineering
Research Unit Separations Engineering and Simulation
Technische Universität Wien
A-1060 Vienna, Getreidemarkt 9/166
E-Mail: michael.harasek@tuwien.ac.at