Separation and Purification Technology, Vol.17, No.1, 41-51, 1999
Modeling of the concentration-polarization effects in a pervaporation cell with radial flow
In the present study, an analysis of the concentration-polarization effects in a cell with radial flow of the liquid is performed. The separation of chloroform from dilute aqueous solutions is taken as the test system. Experiments were performed in a flat membrane cell using a zeolite-filled polydimethylsiloxane membrane (Pervap 1070) with outward radial flow between two plates. The influence of composition, flow rate and temperature of the liquid feed was experimentally studied. The general assumption of negligible mass transfer resistance of the PDMS membrane for the separation of chloroform from water was considered. The liquid phase mass transfer coefficients were correlated with the operating variables flow rate and temperature using dimensionless groups. It was found that the Sherwood number was proportional to Re-0.5 and Sc-0.33.