Comparison of the separation of mixtures by vapor permeation and by pervaporation using PVA composite membranes. I. Binary alcohol-water systems

• Published in: Journal of membrane science Vol. 68; no. 1-2; pp. 119 - 125
• Main Authors: Will, B., Lichtenthaler, R.N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 10.04.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: aqueous mixtures; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; composite membrane; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Membranes; pervaporation; separation characteristics; vapor permeation; separation characteristics; composite membrane; aqueous mixtures; vapor permeation; pervaporation; Water; Ethanol; Adsorption isotherm; Alcohol; Experimental study; Membrane separation; Polyvinylalcohol; Binary mixture; Gas permeability; Acrylonitrile polymer; Membrane; Comparative study; Methanol; Pervaporation
• ISSN: 0376-7388; 1873-3123
• DOI: 10.1016/0376-7388(92)80154-C

Results of vapor permeation experiments with binary mixtures of methanol-water, ethanol-water, 1-propanol-water and 2-propanol-water performed under various operating conditions are reported. The data are compared to those obtained applying pervaporation. In particular the effect of feed pressure and feed composition, permeate pressure and membrane temperature on transmembrane fluxes and separation characteristics has been investigated for the PVA-PAN composite membrane manufactured by GFT mbH (Neunkirchen-Heinitz, Germany). In general, for a specific mixture the separation factors are significantly larger but the transmembrane fluxes are smaller in the case of vapor permeation compared with pervaporation.