Pervaporation of n-Butanol/Water and Iso-Butanol/Water Solutions Using a PDMS Hollow-Fiber Membrane Module

摘要

The depleting supply and rising cost of crude oil has recently created extensive interest in converting biomass and agricultural wastes for energy production. Butanol produced by fermentation of biomass (Biobutanol) has been proposed as a substitute for diesel fuel and gasoline; it is considered as a potential biofuel with superior properties when compared to ethanol. Butanol has a higher energy density, and lower vapor pressure than ethanol and gasoline. Butanol can be used as a replacement for gasoline gallon for gallon, and has been demonstrated to work in vehicles designed for use with gasoline without modification. Ethanol can only be used as an additive to gasoline up to about 85% and then only after modifications to the engine.