A predictive mass transfer model for aroma compounds recovery by pervaporation

In this study, a predictive mass transfer model was developed to describe pervaporative separation of pomegranate aroma compounds from multicomponent solutions. The Flory–Huggins theory was used to predict equilibrium sorption of aroma compounds and water into the membrane. The penetrant transport through the membrane was described with the generalized Maxwell–Stefan equations, which are able to account for the bulk flux contribution as well as the diffusive coupling effect. A simple formula for estimating the Maxwell–Stefan diffusion coefficients of aroma compounds through the membrane in multicomponent solutions was utilized based on the free volume theory. The effects of operating parameters such as feed concentration and temperature on the permeation flux and aroma selectivities were investigated via both the model prediction and experiments. A reasonable agreement between predicted and experimental data was observed.