Welsh businesses can now benefit from access to specialist expertise in membrane and surface technology, through a new £350k project established by Swansea University School of Engineering’s Centre for Complex Fluids Processing.
The Centre’s Advanced Membrane Separation and Surface Technologies project, which was launched in February 2010, has established a new Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC), through the Academic Expertise for Business Programme (A4B).
A4B is managed by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for the Economy and Transport, and is financed by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Regional Development Fund.
The new KTC provides businesses with up-to-date information and advice on membrane separation and surface technologies, access to industry-focused research and development to assist with the development of new products, processes, and services; and access to demonstration facilities.
Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, said the A4B programme was designed to unlock the expertise within Welsh Universities and to encourage collaboration with industry.
“We are supporting the development of new Knowledge Transfer Centres to service the needs of new and emerging markets and ensure business has access to the help, advice and technical know-how it needs,” he said.
“The transfer of knowledge and expertise from our world-class research base into “added value” for the economy is vital if Wales is to become a leading player in key technologies, creating long-term growth within strategic sectors.”
The Centre’s Director, Professor Rhodri Williams, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, through the A4B programme, to further collaborate with and deliver knowledge transfer to Welsh industry and business.
“The establishment of this new KTC will enable businesses to access our world-class Engineering research in Process Engineering and Biomedical Applications, ultimately bringing significant commercial benefits to the companies we work with.”
The development and application of membrane separation processes is one of the most significant recent advances in chemical and biological process engineering.
Membrane processes are advanced filtration processes, which utilise the separation properties of finely porous polymeric or inorganic films. Membrane separations are used in a wide range of industrial processes to separate biological macromolecules, colloids, ions, solvents and gases.
Greater understanding of the processes involved, combined with new techniques and methods have expanded the applications for these technologies, with a wide range of opportunities for exploitation continuing to emerge across a wide spectrum of industrial sectors.
Some examples of opportunities for these technologies include:
- Systems for recovery of products from wastes
- Selective separation of products from within a single fluid
- Desalting and purification of beverages
- Concentration of waste streams to minimise transport costs
- Drug delivery systems
- Scaffolds for tissue engineering.
The KTC has three distinct themes, which will provide advances in research and significant commercial benefits to industry.
Selective Separation and Product Recovery utilising Membrane Technology
The effective application of the engineering aspects of membrane technology has significant implications for multiple applications and industrial sectors, including food, environment, pharmaceuticals and biomedical.
The Centre has significant expertise in the engineering aspects of membrane separation equipment design, the design and advance of sustainable membrane processes for environmental and industrial applications and the development of improved/novel engineering aspects of membrane module design, operation and process control.
Advanced Surface and Fluid Characterisation
To enable the successful application of membrane separation technologies it is necessary to understand the fluid composition, how the components of the fluid determine its overall properties, the flow behaviour in process equipment and surface characteristics of the membrane.
The Centre has substantial expertise and analytical and imaging equipment to satisfy these requirements to ensure that the correct type of membrane is selected for a particular application and also to identify problems and defects in membranes and structures.
Novel Membrane and Structure Fabrication
The Centre’s latest research includes the development of bespoke membranes and novel structure fabrication. These new technology areas represent new opportunities for industrial exploitation in a range of market sectors with particular emphasis placed upon biomedical, bio-manufacturing and process applications.
It is intended that research and development will lead to the next generation of membrane-based devices.
Specifically, novel membranes suited to particular fluid properties and application requirements and membranes and structures fabricated for biomedical applications such as scaffolds for tissue engineering, drug delivery systems and immobilised cell technologies.
For further information and to contact the Advanced Membrane Separation and Surface Technologies Knowledge Transfer Centre, call 01792 295216, email [email protected], or visit http://complexfluids.swansea.ac.uk.
