In the field of food technology the main applications of pervaporation
through hydrophilic membranes are the removal or extraction of water
from aroma azeotropic aqueous mixtures. In this study, experiments for
removal of water containing aroma compounds of ethanol, propanol, but
anol, hexanol, ethyl acetate and acetic acid were performed through a
composite, plate and frame type hydrophilic PVA (poly vinyl alcohol) m
embrane in a 0.5 m(2) plane module at constant feed temperature and pe
rmeate Vacuum pressure. The analysis is presented in terms of variatio
ns in permeation flux and separation factor. The results show the decr
ease in separation factor as well as permeation Aux with the increase
of alcohol in feed. Hexanol does not permeate through PVA membrane. Ac
tivity coefficient of water is higher than that of organic. Pervaporat
ion selectivity differ from Liquid-vapor thermodynamic equilibrium.