Abstract
PTMSP membranes reinforced with a metal wire mesh have been fabricated and experimentally studied to increase the permeability and mechanical properties of poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) membranes in the course of thermopervaporation (TPV) removal of butanol from fermentation broths. The effect of the material wire of the mesh (stainless steel and bronze) and mesh size (30-40 mu m) on the flux and separation factor in the course of thermopervaporation separation of aqueous solutions of butanol has been experimentally studied. It is shown in this work that the use of a metal wire mesh as a support instead of traditional commercial porous supports does not reduce the separation properties of a PTMSP membrane in the course of TPV removal of butanol from model fermentation mixtures. Separation modes that make it possible to obtain permeate fluxes above 1 kg m(-2) h(-1) have been found. It is shown in this work that the permeability coefficient of water through PTMSP membranes is 2.5 x 10(-5) mol m(-2) h(-1) kPa(-1) and does not depend on the temperature of the feed and thickness of the membranes.