Process intensification allows significant improvements in chemical manufacturing and processing, leading to cheaper, safer and cleaner technologies. Recovery of sulfur dioxide from gas emissions using a membrane device instead of dispersive absorption (e.g. scrubbers) may intensify the process and it is in the spotlight of many investigations. This work develops the modelling of a ceramic hollow fibre membrane contactor used as membrane device in SO2 absorption. The modelling of mass transfer through the membrane is performed in order to evaluate the technical possibilities of the process. The effect of partial wetting on the mass transfer and the influence that operation conditions have on the process efficiency are evaluated. Solvent selection is an important variable to be taken into account in the technical application of the process; this variable is studied through the Henry's law constant (H). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.