Design and operation of an enhanced pervaporation device with static mixers

Abstract

Pervaporation has a high potential for separating miscible solutions, particularly azeotropic mixtures. However, mass transfer limitations have long been a common concern in pervaporation device design. Therefore, in this work, we design a static mixer-based pervaporation device using water-ethanol separation as a model system and further develop computational fluid dynamics tools to investigate systematically all the influencing parameters. In the experiments, we use three-dimensional printed helical static mixers in the feed liquid channel to enhance mass transfer and implement a Sulzer pervaporation membrane for fast removal of water from ethanol. Using flow and mass-transfer simulations, we fit the membrane mass transfer coefficient and provide predictive models for optimal process design. Our pervaporation assembly exhibits promising performance and potential toward pervaporation processes for the removal of water from organics and is preferably scaled out by using stackable designs.

Fabrication of highly permeable PDMS@ZIF‐8/PVDF hollow fiber composite membrane in module for ethanol‐water separation

“…To address this issue, the in situ removal of bioethanol from fermentation broth has been proposed as an effective strategy to improve the fermentation system's productivity 7 . Among various separation techniques, pervaporation (PV) has gained significant attention due to its low energy consumption, high efficiency, and harmlessness to microorganisms 8–15 . In industrial applications, hollow fiber membrane modules have become one of the most important types of membrane modules.…”

Scale-Up of Synthesizing 3,3-Dimethyl-2-butyl Ketone (Pinacolone) from 2-Methyl-2-butene (β-Isoamylene) and Its Kinetic Study

“…18 Zhang et al characterized enhancements in mass transfer performance with a static mixer through simulations and proposed a potential scale-up strategy. 19 Cao et al discussed the controversial effect of gas bubbles on electrochemistry by simulating the effects of reactant concentrations and other parameters in a liquid slug. 20 The quantification of the relationship between droplet size and the corresponding mass transfer would be conducive to the control and scale-up of the synthesis of pinacolone, thus improving the reaction efficiency and kinetic studies.…”

“…Zhang et al. characterized enhancements in mass transfer performance with a static mixer through simulations and proposed a potential scale-up strategy . Cao et al discussed the controversial effect of gas bubbles on electrochemistry by simulating the effects of reactant concentrations and other parameters in a liquid slug .…”

Flow Toolkit for Measuring Reaction Enthalpy and Application to Highly Exothermic Synthesis of Alkylaluminoxanes

“…Therefore, we prefer a nonintrusive method for thermal measurements in the reacting system, without introducing any temperature indicators or tracers. In particular, infrared thermography can acquire the time-varying and continuous temperature profiles of a specified area and has found its applications in thermofluidic dynamics, sensor development, material characterization, and reaction enthalpy determination. ,− In parallel, microreactors, with the characteristics of fast mixing, enhanced heat and mass transfer, and inherent safety, continue to evolve for applications focused on obtaining information, such as understanding reaction mechanisms, extraction of kinetics, and determination of reaction enthalpies. − …”