Previously reported techniques for the separation of gaseous olefins from p
araffins by means of membrane contactors, and fluid olefins from paraffins
by means of liquid extraction, have been extended to the separation of liqu
id olefin/paraffin mixtures by means of a hybrid membrane/extraction system
. In this paper, emphasis is placed on the development of a hybrid membrane
contacting system for the separation of liquid olefin/paraffin mixtures in
the range up to C-6. The membrane contacting system described comprises no
n-porous polymeric membranes and a high-boiling-point selective liquid extr
actant flowing along polymeric membranes between the extractor and the memb
rane stripper at various temperatures and flow rates. The olefin components
permeated through the polymeric films at elevated temperatures in a membra
ne stripper, making it possible to effect pervaporation transport. Selectiv
ities of 1-hexene/n-hexane separations ranged from 40 to 70. The l-hexene p
ermeation rate achieved at 62 degrees C was up to 1.4 x 10(-6) g/s cm(2). (
C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.