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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN: A CROSS-FLOW PERVAPORATION SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF VOCS FROM CONTAMINATED WASTEWATER
Citation:
Martin*, J F. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN: A CROSS-FLOW PERVAPORATION SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF VOCS FROM CONTAMINATED WASTEWATER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/540/F-93/503, 1993.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
Pervaporation is a process for removing volatile organic compounds (VOC) from contaminated water. The performance of the cross-flow pervaporation system increases with temperature, with an equipment limitation of 35 degrees Celsius. Permeable membranes that preferentially adsorb VOCs are used to partition VOCs from the contaminated water. The VOCs diffuse from the membrane and water interface through the membrane and are drawn off by a vacuum pump. Upstream of the vacuum pump, a condenser traps and contains the permeating vapors, condensing all the vapor, and allowing no fugitive emissions (see Figure 1). The condensed organic vapors represent only a fraction of the initial wastewater volume and may be sent for disposal at significant cost savings. Industrial waste streams may also be treated with this process, and solvents may be recovered for reuse.