LEXINGTON, Kentucky, September 21, 2021 – Separation technologies recover, isolate, and purify products in virtually every industrial process. Using membranes rather than conventional, energy-intensive technologies for separations could dramatically reduce energy use and costs in key industrial processes. For several years, Engi-Mat has been developing a new support for NaA zeolite membranes that offers a highly effective alternative for the dehydration of bioethanol and many other organic solvents.
The Department of Energy is providing significant additional funding to Engi-Mat in recognition of the technical success achieved to date. The continued funding will support Engi-Mat’s ongoing work under the research effort focused on delivery of high-quality NaA zeolite membranes with a dramatic cost advantage.
Although NaA zeolite membranes have historically been cost prohibitive due to the supports (which account for 70-80% of the membrane cost), Engi-Mat’s unique approach will enable high efficiency, cost competitive membranes for commercial applications that include the dehydration of bioethanol and other organic solvents.