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TEST AND EVALUATION OF A POLYMER MEMBRANE PRECONCENTRATOR
Citation:
Hummel, K. AND T. Nelson. TEST AND EVALUATION OF A POLYMER MEMBRANE PRECONCENTRATOR. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-90/016 (NTIS PB90-188905), 1990.
Impact/Purpose:
Information.
Description:
The report gives results of an evaluation of the applicability of membrane systems as a preconcentrator and defines operating parameters of a membrane system. Advantages of such a system is a potential reduction in cost for subsequent control systems. The evaluation is part of a joint EPA/California Air Resources Board investigation of the potential of membrane technology on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Tests of various membrane materials and configurations have been conducted. The polymeric membrane has been used for a number of years as a concentrating step for various liquid and gaseous streams, including the removal of large molecule organics from waste water streams, hydrogen separation, and CQ2 recovery. A polymer membrane is an ultrathin layer of a selective polymer, supported on a porous sublayer. The membrane (active layer) selectively filters the pollutant molecules. A potentially innovative application of membrane technology may be to concentrate VOCs from exhaust gases such as solvent oven-drying exhaust A preconcentrator membrane could be used to reduce the size and, in turn, the capital and operating costs of a conventional VOC control device such as a carbon adsorber or incinerator. Study results do not, however, verify that a membrane preconcentrator is a viable option to reduce overall pollution control costs.