Analysis of a hybrid distillation-pervaporation column in a single unit: Intermediate membrane section in the rectifying and stripping section

Distillation-pervaporation in a single unit (DPSU) column can perform separations that are not possible in conventional distillation by overcoming distillation boundaries. Unlike conventional hybrid distillation-pervaporation columns, in a DPSU system the pervaporation membrane is located inside the column. The separation by distillation and pervaporation is carried out simultaneously inside the same column section. In a previous work, a simplified model was used to design and analyze distillation-pervaporation in a single unit (DPSU) systems with a hybrid rectifying-pervaporation section, where the membrane constitutes the whole section. In this study, this simplified model is applied to DPSU columns where the membrane partially constitutes the rectifying or the stripping sections, including the model derivation of the stripping section and the operation leaves. The simplified model is applied for the separation of two mixtures with different Serafimov's topology classifications: acetone-isopropanol-water (topology type 1.0-2) and ethyl acetate-ethanol-methanol (topology type 2.0-2b). Thermodynamic limitations are identified for the separation of the ethyl acetate-ethanol-methanol mixture. Multiple operation leaves are produced depending on the liquid composition at the beginning of the membrane section, hindering the conditions that help to overcome the distillation boundary through a DPSU column. For some conditions, a section that is partially constituted by a membrane performs better than if the membrane constitutes the whole section.