Distillation with nanoporous or coated hollow fibers

Distillation of methanol–ethanol solutions in a small column containing hollow fibers is independent of whether the fibers are nanoporous or covered with a thin, highly permeable coating. The hollow fibers do not provide selectivity but serve as a form of structured packing, so that the fluid mechan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of membrane science Vol. 257; no. 1; pp. 3 - 10
Main Authors Chung, Jae Bin, DeRocher, Jonathan P., Cussler, E.L.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 15.07.2005
Subjects
Fiber membranes
Microporous and porous membranes
Modules
Organic separations
Organic separations
Modules
Microporous and porous membranes
Fiber membranes
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Summary:Distillation of methanol–ethanol solutions in a small column containing hollow fibers is independent of whether the fibers are nanoporous or covered with a thin, highly permeable coating. The hollow fibers do not provide selectivity but serve as a form of structured packing, so that the fluid mechanics in the column is not constrained by loading and flooding. The overall mass transfer coefficient based on a vapor side driving force and measured across the fibers is around 0.03 cm/s, the result of roughly equal mass transfer resistances in the condensate, the membrane, and the vapor. Further improvements in this form of distillation will require significant changes in module design, which reduce each of these three resistances.
ISSN:0376-7388
1873-3123
DOI:10.1016/j.memsci.2004.02.042