Pervaporation for wastewater treatment
Pervaporation is a membrane process used to separate liquid mixtures. The feed liquid contacts one side of a membrane, which selectively permeates one of the feed components. The permeate, enriched in this component, is removed as a vapor from the other side of the membrane. The driving force for the process is the low pressure generated by cooling and condensing the permeate vapor. The separation achieved is proportional to the rate of permeation of the components of the mixture through the membrane. Pervaporation, therefore, offers the possibility of separating solutions, mixtures whose components have close boiling points, or azeotropes that are difficult to separate by distillation or other means. This article focuses on one application of pervaporation: the separation of dissolved volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water. The first commercial pervaporation plant for methylene chloride removal from a small waste water stream has been installed. Also, pilot-plant field tests have been performed at a variety of sites.
- OSTI ID:
- 438874
- Journal Information:
- CHEMTECH, Journal Name: CHEMTECH Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 27; ISSN CHTEDD; ISSN 0009-2703
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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