Correlation of mass transfer coefficient and solute permeate flux in pervaporation of benzene-cyclohexane mixtures using a composite PVA membrane on PAN support

摘要

Pervaporation of benzene-cyclohexane mixtures has been carried out in an agitated batch permeation cell (with vacuum maintained downstream) using a proprietary composite membrane of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on a porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) support,at 298 K and 0.8 torr downstream pressure.Effect of operating parameters like feed solute concentration,C_(L0) and agitator speed,n on the overall solute permeate flux has been elaborately studied.Based on the experimental data,an attempt has been made to predict mass transfer coefficient and pervaporative mass transfer flux,from semi-empirical approach.The predictive equations for the two above mentioned design parameters are presented.