Simulation of a pervaporation system on the industrial scale for water treatment Part I: Extended resistance-in-series model

The resistance-in-series model has been used by several authors to describe the pervaporation of dilute solutions. This paper extends the use of this model to encompass support layer (or vapour side) resistance, membrane swelling and component concentrations in the vapour mixture. The definition of an enhancement factor for the membrane top layer diffusion coefficient, similar to conventional heat and mass transfer equations, both facilitates solution of the equations and helps interpret the effect of swelling on transport. Operating conditions, properties of the membrane and the solution, and geometric parameters of the membrane and the module are represented in the derived equations. The model is then numerically integrated over the entire module. The use of the extended model is illustrated by simulations using a hollow fiber module for treatment of wastewater containing volatile organic compounds.