SIMULATION OF PERVAPORATION PROCESS FOR ETHANOL DEHYDRATION BY USING PILOT TEST-RESULTS

This paper focuses on providing a pervaporation simulation method for ethanol dehydration from a practical point of view. The simulation pro cedure is performed by setting up simulation equations which describe the pervaporation process, obtaining the necessary data from pervapora tion batch mode pilot tests, verifying the simulation tool through sim ulations of continuous mode pilot tests, and comparing the simulation results with the real pilot test results. We considered the mass and e nergy balances that describe separating an ethanol/water mixture by a pervaporation membrane, The simulation equations were mathematically e xpressed into simultaneous nonlinear differential equations based on t hese balances. The necessary data for simulation consist of the thermo physical properties for the ethanol-water mixture and the characterist ic data of a PVA composite membrane. The membrane characteristic data are permeation flux and membrane selectivity, which are functions of f eed composition and operating conditions. These data were experimental ly determined by a batch mode pilot test. The continuous mode pilot te sts were simulated and the simulation results were compared to the rea l test results. The results were fairly good.