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Effect of membrane performance variability with temperature and feed composition on pervaporation and vapor permeation system design for solvent drying
Citation:
Vane, L. Effect of membrane performance variability with temperature and feed composition on pervaporation and vapor permeation system design for solvent drying. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. John Wiley and Sons, LTD, , Uk, 97(10):2706-2719, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.7161
Impact/Purpose:
In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a new Definition of Solid Waste Rule which highlighted the potential environmental benefits of reclaiming and reusing spent industrial solvents. Prompted by the financial and environmental benefits of reusing solvents, the recycling of many solvents has increased. One reason solvents are not reused is that reuse requires the application of separation technologies and energy to recover and purify the solvents from the spent material. Because many of the solvents targeted for increased recycling in the Definition of Solid Waste Rule form difficult-to-separate mixtures with water, this work focused on energy-efficient solvent drying technologies that are able to separate solvent-water mixtures, particularly the membrane processes of pervaporation (PV) and vapor permeation (VP). A recent journal article reviewed design factors that impact the effectiveness of a PV or VP solvent dehydration process. Inherent membrane permeability performance directly impacted overall process performance. For simplicity, the earlier work assumed constant membrane permeabilities. The objective of this work was to expand upon the previous process factor work by exploring the impact of variable permeabilities on PV/VP system design and effectiveness. This involved establishing an adaptable expression relating permeability to process conditions, incorporating the expression into the PV/VP spreadsheet calculators from the previous work, using literature PV data to illustrate the use of the permeability expression, and then assessing how variable permeances impact the system performance as estimated with the process calculators. The inclusion of membrane permeabilities that vary with fluid composition and temperature noticeably altered predictions of the membrane area required to carry out water removal from ethanol by PV and the transfer of ethanol to the permeate stream. Unless a PV/VP process is expected to operate at constant temperature and in a narrow concentration range, process performance estimates would be improved by inclusion of concentration- and temperature- dependent permeabilities or permeances.
Description:
This product will describe for the Regions and Program Office advanced separation technologies for waste solvent recovery and reclamation. This product supports the Remanufacturing Exclusion in the new Definition of Solid Waste Rule as well as the generator-controlled exclusion as it applies to in-house reclamation of industrial solvents. The Remanufacturing Exclusion was intended, in part, to encourage the reuse/re-processing of 18 higher-value hazardous spent industrial solvents in the pharmaceutical, paint and coating, plastic and resin, and basic organic chemicals sectors. This sub-product will communicate enhancements to spreadsheet calculators that can be used to predict the performance of the membrane processes of pervaporation and vapor permeation for the drying of industrial solvents to aid in their reuse. The sub-product provides information that can be used by technology providers, end-users, researchers in the field, and Regional representatives to improve the understanding, design, and integration of solvent drying processes. The product will be used by the Regions to engage industries in solvent reclamation activities.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Effect of membrane performance variability with temperature and feed composition on pervaporation and vapor permeation system design for solvent drying
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