Ultrafiltration Membrane: Global Market Scenario, Trends, Opportunity, Growth and Forecast, 2020-2030

Market Definition

A separation technique known as ultrafiltration uses the fundamentals of membrane functioning. The membrane is used to separate the desired components from the unwanted ones. The major force behind the movement of the fluid across the membrane is the pressure differential, which takes the form of positive force or vacuum. The use of high-pressure values occasionally reaches 400 psi, despite the fact that the ideal operating range of ultrafiltration membranes is 30 psi to 150 psi. The primary factor determining whether a particle passes through an ultrafiltration membrane is its size, although occasionally the polarity of the charge and its amplitude also affect whether the particle is ultimately accepted or rejected.

Market Insights

Global ultrafiltration membrane market was stood at more than $2 billion in 2022 and anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 8.15% during the forecast period. The use of water treatment techniques like ultrafiltration will increase due to strict legislation and growing environmental awareness. Because ultrafiltration runs at low pressure or negative pressure, provides water with a reasonable level of turbidity, and eliminates protozoan parasites like Cryptosporidium, it is anticipated that elevated drinking water standards, particularly in developing nations, will increase demand for the technology. The U.S. EPA published its guidance on Cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, for public water systems that use either surface water or ground water in the early months of 2010. The law was created to reduce the risk posed by disinfection byproducts while also enhancing the management of microbiological infections, particularly Cryptosporidium, in drinking water.

Currently, hollow fibre membranes are the primary option for ultrafiltration. The process underlying hollow fiber’s operation is comparable to that of tubular or other capillary configurations, however hollow fibre uses small tube diameters, which promotes flexibility. This flexibility of strands makes it possible to create some filter configurations that are not achievable with other filtration arrangements.

Flat sheets are mostly utilized in laboratories and in applications related to bioprocessing. MBRs for industrial and municipal applications employ flat sheet membranes. Membranes are placed on top of a plate-like framework in flat sheet membrane systems, which is then kept together by a frame-like support. Similar to a heat exchanger or filter press, flat sheet membranes are fastened together with a frame surrounding them.

Hemodialysis techniques were developed and spread first in North America. Many of the region’s main nations have a sizable portion of their populace protected by adequate insurance. The insurance assistance makes hemodialysis treatments, which are sometimes expensive and lengthy by nature, more affordable. The Western European region closely resembles its North American counterpart. Mature markets can be defined as Western Europe and North America. Therefore, the lower growth rates anticipated for these regions are reasonable. A significant upheaval is occurring in the Asia-Pacific region, and every year, large percentages of the population are added to the insured population.

Market Dynamics: Drivers

Surge in Demand for Ultrafiltration Membranes in Making of COVID-19 Vaccines

There has been an upsurge in demand for safe and efficient vaccines due to the global epidemic. The COVID-19 vaccination, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), protects against becoming extremely ill or passing away from the disease. As of January 7, 2022, approximately 62.7% of the nation’s population had completed their vaccinations, and 78% had received at least one dosage. Governmental initiatives promoting vaccination as well as the rising demand for COVID vaccines have put enormous pressure on pharmaceutical companies to meet the world’s need for vaccinations. Several raw materials are used in the production of vaccines. Cell culture media, bioreactor, ultrafiltration, and microfiltration modules are a few of them.

Increase in Demand from the Food and Beverage Industry

In the recent years, the usage of ultrafiltration membranes as a separation technique in the food and beverage industry has become more significant. Traditional separation methods are replaced by UF membranes, particularly in the beverage, fruit juice processing, sugar, and dairy industries. Additionally, they are a green technology because they do not hurt the environment and are far superior to traditional separation techniques. Microfiltration is widely used in the dairy sector to remove spores and germs from milk to increase its shelf life. This technique considerably raises the milk’s quality while preserving its chemical and organoleptic characteristics. The ultrafiltration technique is also applied in several other dairy products such as cheese and whey protein concentrates (WPC) and isolates (WPI).

Market Dynamics: Challenges

High Maintenance

Membrane fouling is the main element that has an impact on how well an ultrafiltration membrane system works. It happens when the membrane surface is coated with insoluble materials, reducing the quality and flow of the water. In the membrane process, water is constantly pushed through the membrane to separate pollutants from a solution. The pollutants’ concentration as a result raises the likelihood that they will coat the membrane surface. The surface pores are blocked by the pollutants that have been coated, which decreases the flow of water across the membrane.

Market Segmentation

• Based on Material Type, the Global Ultrafiltration Membrane market is segmented into
  • Ceramic
  • Polymeric
• Based on Membrane Type, the Global Ultrafiltration Membrane market is segmented into
  • Hollow Fiber
  • Flat Sheet
  • Spiral-wound
  • Tubular
• Based on Application, the Global Ultrafiltration Membrane market is segmented into
  • Hemodialysis
  • Industrial Processes
  • Food & Beverages
  • Potable Water
  • Biopharmaceuticals
  • Wastewater
• Based on Geography, the Global Ultrafiltration Membrane market is segmented into
  • Asia-Pacific
  • North America
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Middle East & Africa
• All market revenue has been given in US Dollar, while the market volumes are given in 1,000 m².

Historical Year: 2020-2021

Base Year: 2022

Estimated: 2023

Forecast- 2024-2030

Key Questions this Study will Answer

• What are the key overall market statistics or market estimates (Market Overview, Market Size- By Value, Market Size-By Volume, Forecast Numbers, Market Segmentation, Market Shares) of Global Ultrafiltration Membrane Market?
• What is the region wise industry size, growth drivers and challenges key market trends?
• What are the key innovations, opportunities, current and future trends and regulations in the Global Ultrafiltration Membrane Market?
• Who are the key competitors, what are their key strength and weakness and how they perform in Global Ultrafiltration Membrane Market based on competitive benchmarking matrix?
• What are the key results derived from the market surveys conducted during Global Ultrafiltration Membrane Market study?