Experimental investigation and modeling through using the solution-diffusion concept of pervaporation dehydration of ethanol and isopropanol by ceramic membranes HybSi

Results of experimental investigation of pervaporation dehydration of ethanol and isopropanol by HybSi membranes at concentrations of organic component in the feed in the range from similar to 50 to similar to 99 wt%, feed temperatures 60, 70 and 80 degrees C and permeate pressures 5 and 20 mm Hg are presented. The experimental data demonstrate a nonmonotonic dependence of separation factor on water concentration in the feed with maximum value of separation factor reached at water concentration in the feed of several percent for both ethanol dehydration and isopropanol dehydration. Values of both total permeate flux and separation factor for the isopropanol dehydration case are higher than for the ethanol dehydration case. Results of the experimental investigation are compared with similar results of other researchers obtained for pervaporation dehydration of ethanol and isopropanol by membranes coated with a selective layer made of silica-based and zeolite-based materials. Based on the "solution-diffusion" concept, a mathematical model is developed for the pervaporation process, which includes three parameters, two of which are permeability coefficients for pure components and the third parameter defines "active pores fraction". Use of the model can lead to essential reduction of the number of pervaporation experiments needed for designing a pervaporation pilot plant as well as assist in determining optimum operating conditions of the pervaporation process. Results of calculations carried out with use of the proposed model are compared versus results of experimental investigation of pervaporation dehydration of ethanol and isopropanol by HybSi membranes, pervaporation dehydration of glycerin by HybSi membranes (of other researchers) and pervaporation dehydration of ethanol by NaA zeolite-based membranes (of other researchers). Results of calculations agree reasonably well with all considered experimental data. Additionally, the model allows determining the optimum thickness of the selective layer of HybSi membranes.