Author/Authors :
M. Mahdi A. Shirazi Biodiesel Research Team (BRT), Microbial Biotechnology and Biosafety Department, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mahdasht, Karaj, Iran , Meisam Tabatabaei Biodiesel Research Team (BRT), Microbial Biotechnology and Biosafety Department, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mahdasht, Karaj, Iran , M. Javad A. Shirazi Young Researchers Club, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , Yaghoub Mansourpanah Biodiesel Research Team (BRT), Microbial Biotechnology and Biosafety Department, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mahdasht, Karaj, Iran , Ali Kargari Department of Petrochemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Mahshahr Campus, Mahshahr, Iran
كليدواژه :
sweeping gas membrane distillation , ethanol-water mixture , PTFE membrane , operating parameters
چكيده لاتين :
In the present study, the feasibility of using sweeping gas membrane distillation process as a
possible method for direct separation of ethanol-water using a flat sheet PTFE membrane
located in a plate and frame module with 169cm2 active area and air stream as sweeping gas
was investigated. Feed concentration, temperature and flow rate, as well as the flow rate of the
sweeping air were taken into consideration as operating parameters and their effects on the
permeate flux and ethanol selectivity were studied. The highest feed concentration applied was
7wt.% ethanol, as higher values than 7% would increase the risk of membrane wetting.
Increases in feed temperature led to an increased permeate flux and selectivity, and within the
feed temperature range of 35 to
55oC and at lower feed concentrations (3wt%), ethanol selectivity of 18.5 to 25 was achieved,
however, by increasing the feed concentration more than 5wt%, selectivity decreased. The
increased permeate flux and ethanol selectivity at higher feed flow rates was mainly due to the
reduced effects of temperature and especially concentration polarizations. Results obtained
showed that the present process could be used as a stand-alone dehydration technique for
ethanol aqueous mixtures
