WHEATSTONE BRIDGE MODEL FOR THE LAMINATED POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE POLYETHERSULFONE MEMBRANE FOR GAS SEPARATION

A new resistance model for the transport of gases through composite membranes is proposed in this work. The new model is an analog of the Wheatstone bridge for an electric circuit. The resistance model proposed by Henis and Tripodi is considered as a special case of the new model, where the resistance of the cross flow between two vertical parallel flows is set equal to zero. The experimental data for the laminated polydimethylsiloxane (silicone rubber)/polyethersulfone membranes, however, have shown that the high permeation rate ratio of hydrogen and nitrogen can not be explained by the Henis and Tripodi model. The parallel flow model, where the resistance of the cross flow is equal to infinity, explains the experimental data.