Technology / Pervaporation
Pervaporation: Efficiently dehydrating solvents
Pervaporation reliable separates water from solvents where conventional processes reach their limits. Recover high-purity solvents with our membrane technology – with minimal energy consumption and low operating costs.
The limitations of conventional separation methods
Do you want to recover solvents efficiently, but face limitations with conventional methods? The enormous energy requirements of distillation make solvent recovery unprofitable, particular when entrainers are required.
Molecular sieves may appear to offer a straightforward. However, their complex regeneration cycle drives up operating costs, while the inevitable abrasion can compromise product purity. The result is a chain of disadvantages: high operating costs, complex plant control and a high carbon footprint.
Our solution: solvent dehydration at a molecular level
Pervaporation transforms solvent recovery processes. Rather than evaporating the entire mixture, our proven PERVAP™ membrane selectively transports only the water molecules. The process operates at comparatively lower temperatures.
This makes pervaporation a cost-effective alternative to azeotropic or entrainer distillation and molecular sieves:
- Five times less energy consumption than azeotropic distillation
- Around 50% lower energy demand compared to molecular sieves
- No entrainer required, significantly simplifying the overall process
- No regeneration stream and no risk of dust contamination
Our PERVAP™ membranes have been in industrial use for 40 years and were the first of their kind. This experience is built into every of system we supply. For our customer, this means maximum process reliability, minimal downtime and a solution designed for many years of low-maintenance operation.
Fields of application
Pharma and life science
The solvent must be recovered at high purity and with a low water concentration, thereby preventing the use of third components.
Bioethanol
Pervaporation provides a the direct route to improved process economics. It breaks the water-ethanol azeotrope with low energy input, reducing operating costs and a significantly lowering carbon footprint of bioethanol plant.
Advantages of pervaporation
Our integrated pervaporation systems are consistently designed around two core priorities: low total cost of ownership (TCO) and maximum operational reliability.
Economic advantages:
- Minimised energy consumption: Reduce operating expenditure through energy-efficient performance
- Maximised recovery: Return valuable solvents to the process instead of purchasing virgin solvents
- Optimised capital expenditure (CAPEX): Compact, turnkey (skid-mounted) systems reduce space requirements and installation costs
Operational advantages
- Simple and stable control: Minimal supervision required and rapid start-up
- Proven and robust membranes: Long service life and predictable replacement costs
- Flexible operation: Easily adaptable to batch or continuous production requirements
Optimise your separation processes today
Frequently asked questions
How does pervaporation work?
In pervaporation, a liquid mixture flows across a membrane. A vacuum on the permeate side selectively draws a specific component, such as water, through the membrane. This component evaporates and is removed, while the concentrated product remains in liquid form. Since not all of the mixture needs to be vaporized, the process is inherently more energy-efficient than distillation.
What is the difference between pervaporation and distillation?
Distillation separates substances based on differences unboiling points, which requires signaficant. DeltaMem’s pervaporation, on the other hand, selectively separates water or methanol at the molecular level. It consumes substantially less energy and is effective even in azeotropic systems where distillation becomes challenging.
What is the difference between pervaporation and vapour permeation?
Both pervaporation and vapour permeation use the same type of membrane (PERVAP™). The difference lies in the physical state of the feed: in pervaporation, a liquid is fed to the membrane, whereas in vapour permeation, saturated vapour is fed to the membrane. DeltaMem provides both technologies.
Are there limits to pervaporation?
Yes. Transparency is important to us: our membranes are not compatible with solvents such as DMF and NMP. Strong acids and solids in the feed must also be avoided to prevent membrane damage. For suitable applications, however, the membranes are exceptionally robust.
What makes DeltaMem's pervaporation unique?
Our strength lies not only in our proven PERVAP™ membrane or our turnkey systems, but in our process expertise. We analyse your specific separation challenge and support you from initial assessment through to ongoing optimisation. We do not simply supply equipment – we deliver a complete, solution-focused partnership.
Can I test pervaporation for my specific solvent?
Yes. In our test center, we conduct feasibility studies and long-term stability tests with your original media. Our engineers validate membrane compatibility and determine precise performance parameters (permeate flux, selectivity). This provides a reliable basis for your scale-up decision.