Mathematical modeling of controlled release from a hollow fiber

The closed form solution to a mathematical model of a cylindrical membrane device successfully predicts the release profile of benzoic acid. Physicall y the device consists of a given concentration of benzoic acid in octanol o r decanol, bounded by a nylon porous hollow fiber with water-filled pores. The prediction shows excellent agreement with the experimentally derived re lease profile from two different systems. In comparison to the experimental ly derived release profile, the benzoic acid/octanol system prediction give s a maximum relative difference of <5%, and a 3% maximum relative differenc e in the benzoic acid/decanol case. Predicted results are obtained from the use of the steady state plus the first term of the transient solution (inf inite series) and with the use of the first nonzero eigenvalue. (C) 1999 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.