Improved film evaporator for mechanistic understanding of microwave-induced separation process

doi:10.1007/s11705-019-1816-1

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.

2019, Vol. 13

Issue (4) : 759-771 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-019-1816-1

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Improved film evaporator for mechanistic understanding of microwave-induced separation process

Xin Gao^1,², Dandan Shu¹, Xingang Li¹, Hong Li¹(

)

¹. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, National Engineering Research Center of Distillation Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
². School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

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Abstract

Microwave-induced film evaporation separation process has been reported recently to separate the polar/nonpolar mixture. However, the efficiency of the separation is still too low for practical applications, which requires further enhancement via different strategies such as optimization design of evaporator structure. In addition the depth understanding of the separation mechanisms is great importance for better utilization of the microwave-induced separation process. To carry out these investigations, a novel microwave-induced falling film evaporation instrument was developed in this paper. The improvement of the enhancement effect of microwave-induced separation was observed based on the improved film evaporator. The systematic experiments on microwave-induced separation with different binary azeotropic mixtures (ethanol-ethyl acetate system and dimethyl carbonate (DMC)-H₂O system) were conducted based on the new evaporator. For the ethanol-ethyl acetate system, microwave irradiation shifted the direction of evaporation separation at higher ethanol content in the starting liquid mixture. Moreover, for DMC-H₂O system microwave-induced separation process broke through the limitations of the traditional distillation process. The results clearly demonstrated the microwave-induced evaporation separation process could be commendably applied to the separation of binary azeotrope with different dielectric properties. Effects of operating parameters are also investigated to trigger further mechanism understanding on the microwave-induced separation process.

Keywords process intensification microwave falling film evaporation separation azeotrope

Corresponding Author(s): Hong Li

Just Accepted Date: 18 April 2019 Online First Date: 30 May 2019 Issue Date: 04 December 2019

Cite this article:

Xin Gao,Dandan Shu,Xingang Li, et al. Improved film evaporator for mechanistic understanding of microwave-induced separation process[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(4): 759-771.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-019-1816-1
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2019/V13/I4/759

Fig.1 Schematic of microwave-induced falling film evaporation process

Tab.1 The specifications of the chemicals

Tab.2 The dielectric and physical performances of the chemicals

Tab.3 The performances of the selected experimental binary systems

Fig.2 Schematic of microwave-induced falling film evaporation. (1) Mercury thermometer; (2) distillation head; (3) thermostatic bath; (4) peristaltic; (5) falling film tube; (6) microwave cavity; (7) liquid phase sampling port; (8) liquid collector; (9) fiber-optic temperature probe; (10) temperature measurement of liquid; (11) liquid distributor; (12) manometer; (13) condenser; (14) vapor phase sampling port; (15) vapor condensate collector

Fig.3 The isopropanol content in the vapor phase (y) and in the liquid phase (x) under different microwave power density, when the initial content of isopropanol is 72.51% by this work

Fig.4 The increment of the isopropanol content in the vapor phase with different microwave power density compared with those for conventional heating, when the initial content of isopropanol is 49.88%, 59.83% and 72.51% in this work in comparison to the data of Li et al. [²⁰]

Fig.5 The ethanol content in the vapor phase (y) and in the liquid phase (x) under different microwave power density, when the initial content of ethanol is 61.35%, 72.34% and 77.21%

Fig.6 (a) x-y diagram for the binary DMC-H₂O system for microwave power of 120, 210, 300 and 390 W and standard equilibrium distillation curve at 1.01325 bar; (b) T-x-y diagram for the binary DMC-H₂O system for microwave power of 120 W, 210 W, 300 W, and 390 W and standard equilibrium distillation curve at 1.01325 bar; (c) Molar fraction of H₂O in liquid phase (x) and vapor phase (y) under different microwave irradiation, when the initial content of H₂O is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

Fig.7 The gas mass flowrate plotted against microwave power density when the initial content of H₂O in the binary DMC-H₂O system is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

Fig.8 The mass flowrate of H₂O in the vapor phase plotted against microwave power density when the initial content of H₂O in the binary DMC-H₂O system is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

Fig.9 The mass flowrate of DMC in the vapor phase plotted against microwave power density when the initial content of H₂O in the binary DMC-H₂O system is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

Fig.10 The molar fraction of H₂O (y) in the vapor phase plotted against the difference between bubble point temperature and feed temperature, when the initial content of H₂O in the binary DMC-H₂O system is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

Fig.11 The molar fraction of H₂O (y) in the vapor phase plotted against feed flowrate and microwave power density, respectively, when the initial content of H₂O in the binary DMC-H₂O system is 4.81%, 9.27% and 13.40%

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