TY - JOUR

T1 - Membrane assisted processing of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) aqueous streams

AU - Knozowska, Katarzyna

AU - Kujawska, Anna

AU - Li, Guoqiang

AU - Kujawa, Joanna

AU - Bryjak, Marek

AU - Kujawski, Wojciech

AU - Lipnizki, Frank

AU - Ahrné, Lilia

AU - Petrinić, Irena

AU - Kujawski, Jan K.

N1 - Funding Information: This article has been supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) under Grant PPI/APM/2018/1/00036/U/001 . Funding Information: This work was supported by project PVABE TANGO1/266441/NCBR/2015 granted by The National centre for Research and Development . Marek Bryjak and Jan K. Kujawski wish to thank Chemical Faculty of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology for the statutory support. Funding Information: This work was supported by project PVABE TANGO1/266441/NCBR/2015 granted by The National centre for Research and Development. Marek Bryjak and Jan K. Kujawski wish to thank Chemical Faculty of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology for the statutory support. This article has been supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) under Grant PPI/APM/2018/1/00036/U/001. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Downstream processing of ABE fermentation broth is challenging issue. In this work, results of the application of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic commercial membranes during the pervaporation of ABE aqueous mixtures were investigated and presented. Hydrophobic pervaporation experiments were performed using ABE-water mixtures containing 0–5 wt% of organics in feed, using commercial membranes: POMS, PEBAX, and Pervap™4060. Separation factor and Pervaporation Separation Index were employed to discuss hydrophobic pervaporation results. Pervap™4060 membrane revealed the best separation performance in the removal of ABE components from diluted aqueous mixtures mimicking the fermentation broth, resulting in two-phase permeate containing ca. 34 wt% of organics. The subsequent liquid-liquid phase separation resulted in the organic phase containing 62 wt% of ABE. Hydrophilic pervaporation experiments were performed in contact with ABE-water system initially comprising 38 wt% of water applying both the Pervap™4100 PVA based polymeric membrane and modified silica ceramic one. Application of hydrophilic membranes allowed for the complete dewatering of ABE-water mixtures. Eventually, the combination of membrane separation processes (microfiltration, hydrophobic pervaporation, hydrophobic thermopervaporation, membrane distillation, and hydrophilic pervaporation) enhanced by the liquid-liquid phase separation was suggested for the recovery and dehydration of ABE aqueous mixture.

AB - Downstream processing of ABE fermentation broth is challenging issue. In this work, results of the application of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic commercial membranes during the pervaporation of ABE aqueous mixtures were investigated and presented. Hydrophobic pervaporation experiments were performed using ABE-water mixtures containing 0–5 wt% of organics in feed, using commercial membranes: POMS, PEBAX, and Pervap™4060. Separation factor and Pervaporation Separation Index were employed to discuss hydrophobic pervaporation results. Pervap™4060 membrane revealed the best separation performance in the removal of ABE components from diluted aqueous mixtures mimicking the fermentation broth, resulting in two-phase permeate containing ca. 34 wt% of organics. The subsequent liquid-liquid phase separation resulted in the organic phase containing 62 wt% of ABE. Hydrophilic pervaporation experiments were performed in contact with ABE-water system initially comprising 38 wt% of water applying both the Pervap™4100 PVA based polymeric membrane and modified silica ceramic one. Application of hydrophilic membranes allowed for the complete dewatering of ABE-water mixtures. Eventually, the combination of membrane separation processes (microfiltration, hydrophobic pervaporation, hydrophobic thermopervaporation, membrane distillation, and hydrophilic pervaporation) enhanced by the liquid-liquid phase separation was suggested for the recovery and dehydration of ABE aqueous mixture.

KW - ABE - acetone, butanol, ethanol

KW - Dehydration of ABE aqueous mixture

KW - Hydrophobic and hydrophilic pervaporation

KW - Liquid-liquid phase separation

KW - Recovery of ABE from aqueous mixtures

U2 - 10.1016/j.cep.2021.108462

DO - 10.1016/j.cep.2021.108462

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85107644084

VL - 166

JO - Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification

JF - Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification

SN - 0255-2701

M1 - 108462

ER -