Effects of operating parameters on single-stage ultrasonic separation of ethanol from its aqueous solutions

The effects of operating parameters on separation of ethanol from its aqueous solutions using ultrasonic atomization were investigated in a single-stage process. With an experimental setup similar to those used in previous work, we measured the degree of enrichment and the combined molar collection rate of ethanol and water for a single combination of the ultrasound power and frequency at 126 combinations of bulk liquid depth, composition, and temperature; carrier-gas inlet/outlet elevation and flow rate; and collection temperature. Enrichment depends strongly on bulk liquid composition, reaching a maximum at an ethanol mole fraction below 0.1, with the maximum enrichment depending on bulk liquid depth and inlet/outlet elevation. The collection rate depends strongly on inlet/outlet elevation and bulk liquid pool depth, and for high ethanol mole fractions is nearly independent of bulk liquid composition. Enrichment and collection rate increase with increasing bulk liquid temperature and decreasing collection temperature. The fact that increasing the carrier-gas flow rate increases the collection rate and decreases enrichment is interpreted in terms of size-selective transport of drops from the ultrasonically-generated fountain where they are atomized, to the cold trap where they are collected. The results are discussed in terms of operating parameters, transport phenomena (including evaporation and gravitational settling of atomized drops), the ultrasonically-induced fountain, and previously reported drop-size distributions. The duration of the experiments, conducted in batch, was such that the results should be relevant to both batch and continuous-flow operation. The work provides guidance and critical data for process scale-up.