RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY IN JAPAN

The first membrane technology applied in the Japanese industry was a. electro-dialysis(ED) process using ion-exchange meabranes. These membranes were first developed in early 50ties and the Japanese government decided to use this method for concentration of sea water to produce salt, which was then produced by solar evaporation. This development program started from 1960 by the Japan monopoly Coop. (at that time). To apply ED process for sea-water concentrat ion it was necessary to develop ion-exchange membranes having very low electric resistance to avoid energy loss due to Joule heat, and those having selectivity to permeate single valent ions only to avoid scale formation in the ED stacks. These Japanese companies, Asahi Glass, Asahi Chemical and Tokuyama Soda, have succeeded to develop such membranes, and until 1971 all of the seven salt manufacturing companies had adopted ED for production of food salt.