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Pervaporation and Vapor Permeation Tutorial: Membrane Processes for the Selective Separation of Liquid and Vapor Mixtures
Citation:
VANE, L. M. Pervaporation and Vapor Permeation Tutorial: Membrane Processes for the Selective Separation of Liquid and Vapor Mixtures. Separation Science and Technology. Taylor & Francis Group, London, Uk, 48(3):429-437, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public
Description:
Pervaporation and vapor permeation are membrane-based processes proposed as alternatives to conventional separation technologies. Applications range from organic solvent removal from water, ethanol or butanol recovery from fermentation broths, solvent/biofuel dehydration to meet dryness specifications, 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 and diffusion of the compounds through the membrane. These properties enable the separation of even miscible liquid mixtures.
