Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering (IJChE)

Abstract Ultrasonic distillation has been implemented as a green technology for desalination of saltwater due to its low energy consumption. It has also been proposed as an alternative to conventional distillation for separating water-ethanol mixtures, offering easy operating conditions and significant reduction in energy consumption (up to 80%). The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize key parameters that influence ethanol enrichment, which includes initial ethanol concentration, solution height, and the quantity of ultrasonic modules. A central composite design (CCD) was utilized to reduce the number of experimental trials while formulating a predictive mathematical model. The findings suggest that elevated initial ethanol concentrations and an augmented number of modules significantly improved the ethanol concentration in the collected mist. Under optimal conditions—65% ethanol concentration, 2.5 cm solution height, and three modules—the purity of ethanol attained was akin to that achieved through conventional distillation techniques, accompanied by markedly diminished energy consumption. This research illustrates the potential of ultrasonic distillation for ethanol separation, offering operational efficiency and reduced energy demands.