Separation Processes Group

This Group consists of two branches, namely, Mineral Chemical Industry and Separation Processes. It utilizes four research laboratories, namely, Membrane Processes Research Laboratory, Advanced Separation Processes Research Laboratory, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Laboratory, and Mineral Chemical Industry Research Laboratory. In addition to educating researchers and specialists, this group has made valuable research achievements available to the scientific and industrial community of the country. Mineral chemical industry covers a relatively wide range of industries in three areas: non-metallic mineral industries (cement, tile and ceramic, glass, etc.), intermediary mineral industries (acids, bases, and mineral salts), and metallic mineral industries (lead, zinc, copper, etc.). The importance of mineral chemical industries lies in their undeniable role in the development and prosperity of human communities. Nevertheless, the emergence of new industries in recent years for producing basic products of nanomaterials and mineral-based nanocoatings has increased the importance of these industries more than ever before.

Another tendency of this group is the separation processes, which is one of the distinguishing features of chemical engineering compared to other technical and engineering fields. Processes such as distillation, absorption, disposal, extraction, membrane processes, electrochemical processes, crystallization, and drying are among the most important separation processes that account for a significant portion of parent industries such as oil, gas, petrochemicals, food, health, and pharmaceutical industries. Different separation methods are formed based on the differences in chemical or physical properties such as size, shape, density, differences in the chemical nature of mixed components, and other differences. In many large industrial units related to chemical processes, approximately half of the unit cost is related to separation processes.