Modeling of Pervaporation Separation Benzene from Dilute Aqueous Solutions Through Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes

A modified solution-diffusion model was established based on Flory-Huggins thermodynamic theory and Fujita's free volume theory. This model was used for description of the mass transfer of removal benzene from dilute aqueous solutions through polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes. The effect of component concentration on the interaction parameter between components, that of the polymer membrane on the selectivity to benzene, and that of feed concentration and temperature on the permeation flux and separation factor of benzene/water through PDMS membranes were investigated. Calculated pervaporation fluxes of benzene and water were compared with the experimental results and were in good agreement with the experimental data.