VOC REMOVAL FROM WATER BY

PERVAPORATION
ABSTRACT
The removal and recovery of organic contaminants from
aqueous streams by pervaporation membrane systems is a
viable and economical treatment for many waste streams.
Pervaporation (PV) is a new technology for removing volatile
organic compounds from groundwater and other aqueous waste
streams. This technology is of particular interest for separating
compounds that have low water solubilities (less than 20,000
ppm) . These compounds include petroleum-based solvents such
as benzene and toluene and chlorinated solvents like
trichloroethylene.
Pervaporation allows organics to be selectively separated from
aqueous systems. The process is typically carried out by placing
a liquid stream, containing organic species, in contact with one
side of a nonporous selective membrane while a vacuum is
applied to the other side. The selected organics in the liquid
stream sorb into the membrane, permeate through it, and
evaporate into the vapor phase. The vapor is then condensed.
Since various components in the liquid feed have different
affinities for the membrane and different diffusion rates through
the membrane, an organic at low feed concentration can have a
significantly higher concentration in the vapor phase and when
condensed will result in a highly concentrated liquid.