• Membrane Journal
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.226-239
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• 2002

A process simulation model of pervaporation process has been developed as a design tool to analyse and optimize the dehyhration of organic solvents through a commercial scale of pervaporative plate-and-frame modules that contain a stack of membrane sheets. In the simulation model, the mass balance, the heat balance and the concentration balance are integrated in a finite elements-in-succession method to simulate the overall process. In the integration method, a feed channel between membrane sheets in the modules was taken as differential unit element volume to simplify calculation procedure and shorten computing time. Some of permeation parameters used in the simulation model, were quantified directly from the dehydration experiment of ethanol through $AzeoSep^{TM}$-2002 membrane which is a commercial pervaporation membrane. The simulation model was verified by comparing the simulated values with experimental data. Using the model, continuous and batch pervaporation processes were simulated, respectively, to acquire basic data for analysing and optimizing in the dehydration of ethanol through the membrane. Based on the simulation results, a comparison between the continuous and the batch pervaporation processes would be discussed.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.294-305
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• 2008

This study was focused on the investigation of the effects of membrane module configuration and the temperature of feed retentate flowing along with module length on membrane performance through model simulation. A simulation model of pervaporative dehydration through membrane module assemble in which a number of unit modules are connected in parallel or in series has been established. In this study, ethanol/water mixture was used as model mixture. Some of permeation parameters in the model were quantified directly from the real dehydration pervaporation of ethanol through a lab-made membrane. By adopting the coefficients determined empirically the simulation model could be of more practical value. The simulation of pervaporation with two basic module configurations, that is, parallel connection and series connection, could present the importance of process parameters such as feed rate, module connection mode, number of stages, and inter-stage heating.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.146-160
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• 2007

A parametric study on pervaporation-facilitated esterification was performed by using a practical model based on non-perfect separation through membrane which is not perfectly permselective to water. Thus, membrane selectivity as well as membrane capability to remove water should be taken into account in establishing the simulation model to explain how the membrane separation influence the esterification reaction process. It was shown by simulation that in the reaction systems with non-perfect separation, the permeation of reactants which are acid or/and alcohol retards the reaction by inducing the backward reaction so that reaction conversion curve is located between a reaction system coupled with pervaporation process having a perfect permselectivity to water and a reaction system without pervaporation process. The volume change of reaction system occurs as a result of the permeation through the membrane. The reaction volume change which can be characterized by the reaction ratio of $r_{\Psi}\;to\;r_{{\Psi}=1}$ affects reaction kinetics by concentrating reactants and products, respectively, with different extent with time; reactant-concentrating effect is dominant during the initial stage of reaction, resulting in facilitating the reaction, and then product-concentrating effect is exerted more on reaction, causing to slow down the reaction. When pervaporative dehydration is applied to the reaction system plays an important role in the reaction as well. The effect of timing to impose pervaporation on reaction system affected the reaction kinetics in terms of reaction rate and reaction conversion. A relationship was derived to explain membrane unit capacity and reaction parameters that will be used as a design tool to determine membrane unit capacity at a given reaction conditions or reaction parameters at a membrane unit capacity.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.268-282
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• 2003

Pervaporation-facilitated esterification with slow reaction regime was characterized by using a practical model based on non-perfect separation through membrane. A non-perfect separation in which the membrane is not perfectly permselective to water was applied to the model. Thus, membrane selectivity and membrane capability to remove water were included in the simulation model to explain how they influence the membrane-facilitated reaction process and improve the reactor performance. It was shown by simulation that in the reaction systems with non-perfect separation, reaction completion can hardly be achievable when any reactant at initial molar ratio=1 or the less abundant reactant at initial molar ratio>1 permeates through membrane, and the permeation of ester accelerates the forward reaction md increase reaction conversion at any instant through removal of product species like water. The volume change causes concentrating both reactants and products that affect the reaction with time in opposite ways; reactant-concentrating effect is dominant during the initial stage of reaction, increasing the reaction rate, and then concentrating product influences more reaction by decreasing the reaction rate.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.257-267
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• 2003

For the treatment of reactive phenolic resin waste, a simulation model of pervaporative dehydration process has been developed through hollow fiber membrane module. Some of basic parameters were determined directly from dehydration of the waste liquid through a flat sheet membrane to get realistic values. The simulation model was verified by comparing the simulated values with experimental data obtained from hollow fiber membrane module. Hollow fiber membranes with active layer coated on inside fiber were used, and feed flew through inside hollow fiber. Feed flow rate affected membrane performances and reaction by providing a corresponding temperature distribution of feed along with fiber length. Feed temperature is also a crucial factor to determine dehydration and reaction behavior by two competing ways; increasing temperature increases permeation rate as well as water formation rate. Once the permeate pressure is well below the saturated vapor pressure of feed, permeate pressure had a slightly negative effect on permeation performance by slightly reducing driving force. As the pressure approached the vapor pressure of feed, dehydration performances declined considerably due to the activity ratio of feed and permeate.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 1992

Pervaporation which is capable of removing ethanol selectively was adopted to reduce the ethanol inhibition and in situ recovery of ethanol in ethanol fermentation, The composite membrane made of silicone and polysulfone was used to separate the ethanol selectively. The ethanol selectivity of the membrane was about 4 and the total flux was 300 g/m2 h at 301:: and 10 mmHg for 25 g/l of feed concentration. Saccharomyces cerevisiae entrapped within Ca-alginate gels was employed for ethanol fermentations in a fluidized-bed bioreactor. The pervaporation membrane unit and fluidized-bed bioreactor were combined into one system. The proposed model equations for the combined system showed good accordances with the experimental results. It was found from the simulation results that the ethanol concentration in the broth for the combined system was lower than that for the continuous fermentation system without a membrane unit. Ethanol productivity can be thus increased by employing the combined system.