Membrane network synthesis for metal recovery: An optimization-based framework

[Display omitted] •Developed surrogate membrane unit model for metal permeation.•Proposed superstructure with multiple multistage trains for multi-metal recovery.•Proposed novel MINLP model for membrane system synthesis and material selection.•Applied proposed framework to metal recovery from differ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Separation and purification technology Vol. 377; p. 134225
Main Authors: Verma, Harshit, Jassby, David, Maravelias, Christos T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier B.V 19.12.2025
Subjects:
Global optimization
High-value metal recovery
Membrane network synthesis
Mixed-integer nonlinear programming
Membrane network synthesis
Global optimization
High-value metal recovery
Mixed-integer nonlinear programming
ISSN:1383-5866
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:[Display omitted] •Developed surrogate membrane unit model for metal permeation.•Proposed superstructure with multiple multistage trains for multi-metal recovery.•Proposed novel MINLP model for membrane system synthesis and material selection.•Applied proposed framework to metal recovery from different industrial wastewater. High-value metals, including critical metals and rare earth elements, are essential for a wide range of modern applications. Recovering these metals from wastewater provides a sustainable alternative to extracting them from finite natural resources. Membrane-based technologies, particularly nanofiltration, offer significant benefits such as high separation efficiency and low energy requirements. However, designing membrane networks is intricate due to the vast array of potential membrane materials that are available and network configurations that can be utilized. In this work, we first present a rich superstructure representing multiple network configurations. We then develop a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model, which incorporates an accurate membrane unit model, which is solvable to global optimality. The proposed framework determines network configuration, membrane materials, and operating conditions to minimize total annualized operating costs. This novel framework enables the synthesis of membrane networks for recovering multiple high-value metals from wastewater. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in achieving globally optimal solutions through various case studies.
ISSN:1383-5866
DOI:10.1016/j.seppur.2025.134225