Membrane contactor is a process for contacting of a liquid phase with a gaseous phase by porous membrane for the mass transfer of gases between the phases. Permeation of a gas occurs through the membrane by increasing or lowering the gas partial pressure in the gas phase. Separation achieved by selective sorption (dissolution) of specific gas (gases) from gas mixture into liquid. Hydrophobic membrane is employed not to allow liquid (water) to pass through the membrane into the gaseous phase.

Area under research

Degassing of gases from aqueous liquid

• Removal of oxygen or CO2 from water → Food and beverage, Semiconductor, Power, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical industries

Gassing (Dissolving) of CO2 into liquid

• Introducing of nitrogen to lower CO2 content in beer in brewery company
• Dissolving of O2 into water to get O2–concentrated water
• Dissolving of CO2 from flue gases or gas mixture into liquid

Transferring of gases from or into liquid

• Artificial lung: feeding of oxygen into blood and removal of CO2 from blood