Vapor-phase membrane concentration of bioethanol and biobutanol using hydrophobic membranes based on glassy polymers

Abstract

Pervaporation and vapor-phase membrane separation methods for the recovery of bioalcohols from dilute aqueous solutions have been critically compared. The importance of taking into account the liquid–vapor equilibrium diagram in studies on the separation of binary aqueous–alcoholic liquid media by these methods has been shown. Previously published experimental data on the transport of water, ethanol, and n-butanol vapors in hydrophobic membranes based on the glassy polymers poly(vinyltrimethylsilane) (PVTMS), poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP), and poly(4-methyl-1-pentyne) (PMP) have been analyzed. Schemes of butanol and ethanol recovery by the vapor-phase membrane separation process from fermentation broths for the cases of application of water-selective and alcohol-selective membranes have been presented, as well as the results of mathematical simulation of the process and assessment of energy consumption.