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REMOVAL OF MTBE FROM WATER BY MEMBRANE-BASED PERVAPORATION TECHNOLOGY
Citation:
Vane*, L M. AND F R. Alvarez*. REMOVAL OF MTBE FROM WATER BY MEMBRANE-BASED PERVAPORATION TECHNOLOGY. Presented at 16th annual International Conf. of Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water, Amherst, MA, 10/16-19/2000.
Description:
The ability of pervaporation to remove methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) from water has been evaluated at both bench- and pilot-scales. In pervaporation, a liquid stream containing two or more components is placed in contact with one side of a non-porous polymeric membrane while a vacuum or gas purge is applied to the other side. The components in the liquid stream sorb into the membrane, permeate through the membrane, and evaporate into the vapor phase (hence the word pervaporate). The vapor, referred to as "the permeate", is then condensed. Due to different species in the feed mixture having different affinities for the membrane and different diffusion rates through the membrane, a component at low concentration in the feed can be highly enriched in the permeate. Concentration factors range from the single digits to over 1,000, depending on the compounds, the membrane, and process conditions. Process efficiency can be modified through membrane selection, module design, and control of process operating parameters.
Pervaporation process parameters studied at the bench-scale for MTBE removal included: flow rate, temperature, MTBE concentration, t-butyl alcohol concentration, membrane type, and membrane thickness. The flux of MTBE through the membrane and mass transfer coefficient of MTBE were compared to the values observed for toluene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Pilot-scale experiments were performed with commercially available membrane modules to determine the scale-up potential for this application. Based on the pilot-scale results, cost projections were developed.
In this presentation, an overview of pervaporation technology along with results of the USEPA-NRMRL MTBE removal experiments and cost analysis will be provided.
*This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect USEPA policy.