Membrane Contactor Market

The membrane contactor market is projected to grow from USD 290 million in 2023 to USD 394 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2023 to 2028. Membrane contactors are employed in a number of separation procedures, including liquid-liquid and gas-liquid separations. Membrane contactors can be made from a variety of materials, including polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, composites, polymeric polymers, such as PMP (polymethylpentene), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), and PFA (perfluoroalkoxy).

Attractive Opportunities in the Membrane Contactor Market

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Market Dynamics:

Driver: Increasing adoption in water and wastewater treatment

Membrane contactors have substantial prospects in water and wastewater treatment applications as the need for clean water rises. Membrane contactors are in high demand in municipal and industrial water treatment facilities due to the necessity for the efficient removal of pollutants such dissolved gases, organic compounds, and heavy metals. The need for effective water treatment technology is increasing as the world's water resources become more limited and the demand for clean water increases. With the use of membrane contactors, pollutants can be removed from water and high-quality water can be produced for a variety of uses, including drinking water, industrial processes, and agricultural irrigation.

Restraint: High capital and replacement cost of membranes

The membrane modules and related equipment must be purchased and installed upfront for membrane contactors. Materials for membranes, particularly specialized membranes such as ceramic or certain polymeric membranes, can be quite costly. The price of system integration, installation, and engineering design can also add to the overall capital expense. The high capital cost can restrain entry for some potential users, especially in small-scale applications or in areas with low financial resources.

Opportunity: Emerging applications in inkjet printing, ink filling, and coatings

Inkjet printing systems use membrane contactors for ink conditioning and degassing. They eliminate dissolved gases from the ink, such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, which can impair nozzle performance and print quality. Membrane contactors assist ink stability improvement, nozzle obstruction avoidance, and consistent drop creation during printing by degassing the ink. Systems for filling and moving ink can use membrane contactors. They help to ensure that high-quality ink is delivered to the printing system by facilitating the removal of dissolved gases or contaminants from the ink during the filling process. Additionally, membrane contactors can be used for ink recirculation. This maintains ink quality over a long period of usage by enabling continual purification and degassing of the ink.

Challenge: Technological limitations and optimization

Membrane contactors frequently need energy input for pumping, circulating, or upholding ideal operating conditions. It is essential to maximize energy efficiency to reduce operational costs and environmental effects. This entails maximizing flow rates, operating pressures, and energy recovery strategies such as pressure exchangers or sophisticated control algorithms. Mass transfer mechanisms are used by membrane contactors to separate or move gases or solutes across the membrane. However, there may be restrictions on mass transfer as a result of factors such as concentration polarization, fouling, or membrane selectivity. These restrictions may have an adverse effect on the effectiveness and performance of membrane contactors, thus posing a challenge for the membrane contactor market.

Membrane Contactor Market: Value Chain

Prominent companies in this market include well-established, financially stable membrane contactor manufacturers. These companies have been operating in the market for several years and possess a strong product portfolio and strong global sales and marketing networks. Prominent companies in this market include 3M (US), Romfil (Germany), JU.CLA.S Srl (Italy), KH TEC GmbH (Germany), Hangzhou Cobetter Filtration Equipment Co., Ltd. (China), PTI Pacific Pty. Ltd. (Australia), EUROWATER (Denmark), Hydro-Elektrik GmbH (Germany), Compact Membrane Systems (US), Veolia Water Technologies (France), Wuhan Tanal Industrial Co., Ltd. (China).

Based on membrane type, the polypropylene segment is estimated to have the largest market share in 2023.

The polypropylene segment is projected to be the largest membrane type during 2023 to 2028. When compared to some alternative membrane materials, such ceramic or specific polymeric membranes, polypropylene is a more affordable option. It is frequently used in membrane contactors, especially in applications where high-performance membranes are not needed, because it is readily available and has a low production cost. Good chemical resistance makes polypropylene appropriate for a variety of applications. It is not significantly degraded when exposed to a variety of chemicals, acids, and bases. The membrane's endurance and longevity in harsh settings is ensured by its chemical compatibility, thus increasing the demand of this segment.

Based on application, the pharmaceutical processing segment is estimated to grow at the second highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Pharmaceutical applications use membrane contactors for gas transfer operations. They can be used to liquid formulations to oxygenate, carbonate, or deoxygenate them. Membrane contactors, for instance, aid in raising the dissolved oxygen levels in the culture media during bioreactor or fermentation operations, encouraging optimum cell or microorganism development and production. Additionally, they can be used to remove dissolved gases from liquids, ensuring the stability and quality of the final product. Due to their capacity to carry out a variety of separation and purification operations, membrane contactors play a significant role in the processing of pharmaceuticals. This further propels growth of this segment.

Based on region, Asia Pacific is projected to account for the largest market share in 2023.

Significant issues with water scarcity, pollution, and the requirement for better water treatment facilities exist in the Asia Pacific region. Desalination, reverse osmosis, and gas transfer for aeration and deaeration are just some of the few water and wastewater treatment techniques that heavily rely on membrane contactors. The demand for membrane contactors in water treatment applications is being driven by the increasing population, urbanization, and industrial growth in nations such as China, India, and Southeast Asian countries.

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Key Market Players

3M (US), Romfil (Germany), JU.CLA.S Srl (Italy), KH TEC GmbH (Germany), Hangzhou Cobetter Filtration Equipment Co., Ltd. (China), PTI Pacific Pty. Ltd. (Australia), EUROWATER (Denmark), Hydro-Elektrik GmbH (Germany), Compact Membrane Systems (US), Veolia Water Technologies (France), Wuhan Tanal Industrial Co., Ltd. (China), are among the major players leading the market through their geographical presence, enhanced production capacities, and efficient distribution channels.

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Scope of the Report

:

This research report categorizes the membrane contactor market based on function, membrane type, application, and region.

Based on function, the membrane contactor market has been segmented as follows:

• Hydrophobic
• Hydrophilic

Based on membrane type, the membrane contactor market has been segmented as follows:

• Polypropylene
• Polytetrafluoroethylene
• Others

Based on application, the membrane contactor market has been segmented as follows:

• Microelectronics & Semiconductors
• Water & Wastewater Treatment
• Food Processing
• Pharmaceutical Processing
• Power & Steam Generation
• Oil & Gas
• Others

Based on the region, the membrane contactor market has been segmented as follows:

• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Vietnam
  • Thailand
  • Phillipines
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • UK
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Middle East & Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Egypt
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America

Recent Developments

• In May 2023, 3M announced to invest about USD 150 million to boost its capacity to expand biotech manufacturing, a rapidly growing segment of the medical industry that is offering ground-breaking treatments to patients. With the help of the new investment, 3M will be able to produce and deliver crucial filtration equipment rapidly for bioprocessing, biological, and small molecule pharmaceutical manufacturing applications.
• In April 2020, EUROWATER collaborated with three research institutions, two water utilities, and one water technology company for the MEM2BIO project, which combines two technologies, namely, membrane filtration and biofiltration, to purify and offer drinking water in Denmark. This collaboration is expected to enhance the market for the company’s membrane degassing units.
• In July 2019, Hangzhou Cobetter Filtration Equipment Co., Ltd. (Cobetter Filtration) entered a partnership with Banner Industries (US). Under this partnership, Banner Industries will distribute products manufactured by Cobetter Filtration in the US market. This partnership is in line with Cobetter Filtration’s expansion strategy into the US market.

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