Pervaporation separation of methanol-carbontetrachloride binary-mixtures using low density polyethylene membranes

In this study, the pervaporation behaviour of azeotrope-forming methanol-carbontetrachloride binary mixture at different compositions was investigated at 30 degrees C and 45 degrees C through LDPE membranes with two different melt now indices for two different thicknesses. Experimental fluxes and selectivities for methanol and carbontetrachloride were determined. Theoretical calculations for fluxes based on a solution-diffusion model as developed by Yeom and Huang using Fujita's free volume approach and Flory-Huggins thermodynamics showed deviations from the experimental results. Experimental fluxes were decomposed into sorption and diffusion terms to discuss the effects of experimental conditions.