PERVAPORATION OF MODEL ACETONE-BUTANOL-ETHANOL FERMENTATION PRODUCT SOLUTIONS USING POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE MEMBRANES

A pervaporation apparatus was designed and tested in an effort to deve lop an integrated fermentation and product recovery process for aceton e-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation. A crossflow membrane module able to accommodate flat sheet hydrophobic membranes was used for the expe riments. Permeate vapors were collected under vacuum and condensed in a dry ice/ethanol cold trap. The apparatus containing polytetrafluoroe thylene membranes was tested using butanol-water and model solutions o f ABE products. Parameters such as product concentration, component ef fect, temperature, and permeate side pressure were examined.