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Pervaporation & Vapor Permeation Membrane Processes for the Selective Separation of Liquid and Vapor Mixtures
Citation:
VANE, L. M. Pervaporation & Vapor Permeation Membrane Processes for the Selective Separation of Liquid and Vapor Mixtures. Presented at American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October 17, 2011.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform EPA
Description:
Pervaporation and vapor permeation are membrane-based processes which have been proposed as alternatives to conventional separation technologies. Applications range from organic solvent removal from water, ethanol or butanol recovery from dilute fermentation broths, solvent/biofuel dehydration to meet dryness specification, and organic-organic separations such as the removal of sulfur compounds from gasoline. Unlike membrane filtration processes which rely on an applied liquid pressure gradient and size sieving to accomplish a separation, pervaporation and vapor permeation separate compounds based on a chemical activity driving force and the sorption & diffusion of the compounds through the membrane. These properties enable the separation of even miscible liquid mixtures such as ethanol-water solutions.