NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

MODULE 3: MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

LECTURE NO. 4
3.4.3 Correlation of mass transfer coefficients for single cylinder
Bedingfield and Drew (1950) studied the sublimation from a solid cylinder into air
which is flowing normal to its axis. They developed a correlation for the mass
transfer coefficient from their experimental data which can be represented as:
kG P
0.281Re 0.4 Sc 0.56
Gm

(3.42)

In this case the Reynolds number is defined based on the diameter of the
cylinder. Gm is the molar mass velocity of the gas and P is the total pressure. The
correlation is applicable in the range of 400 < Re < 25000 and 0.6 < Sc < 2.6.

3.4.4 Correlation of mass transfer coefficients in circular pipes

In a wetted wall towers as shown in Figure 3.1, the mass transfer from the thin
liquid film in the tube wall from the moving fluid has been studied extensively. In
the tower a volatile pure liquid flows down inside the surface of the tube wall
where a gas is allowed to pass through the central core. Here the evaporation of
the liquid into the moving gas stream through the gas liquid surface is referred as
mass transfer from liquid to gas Gilliland and Sherwood (1934) developed the
following correlation from the experimental data obtained by using different liquid
and air as gas in the range of 2.0103 < Re < 3.50103 and 0.6 < Sc < 2.5.
Sh 0.023 Re0.83 Sc0.44

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(3.43)

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

where the physical properties of the gas are evaluated at the bulk conditions of
the moving gas. Sherwood number and Reynolds number are based on tower
diameter. Linton and Sherwood (1950) studied the mass transfer by extending
the Schmidt number. They developed a correlation with the extended data set
and the data set of Gilliland and Sherwood which can be represented as:
Sh 0.023 Re0.83 Sc1 / 3

(3.44)

In the range of 0.4104 < Re < 7.0104 and 0.6 < Sc < 3.0103

Figure 3.1: Wetted-wall tower

3.4.5 Correlation of mass transfer coefficients in packed and

fluidized beds
Based on advantages of increase surface area available for mass and heat
transfer for a given volume compared to an empty vessel, packed and fluidized
beds are commonly used in industrial mass transfer operations. For packed and
fluidized beds, the area of mass transfer is generally expressed in terms of
specific interfacial area which is defined as the area per unit volume of packed
bed. It can e expressed as:

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

6(1 )
dp

(3.45)

Where is the porosity or void fraction and d p is the particle diameter. Various
investigations have been carried out for estimating the mass transfer coefficients
in packed beds and developed correlations for mass transfer coefficient from
their experimental results. For both gas and liquid packed and fluidized bed of
spherical particle, Gupta and Thodos (1962) developed a correlation which can
be expressed as
St D Sc 2 / 3

0.010

0.863 /
Re0.58 0.483

(3.46)

The correlation is valid only in the range of 1 < Re < 2100. Sherwood et al.
(1975) developed the following correlation for gases in the range of 10 < Re <
2500.

St D 1.17 Re0.415 Sc 2 / 3

(3.47)

where Re = (dpGy)/. Gy is the mass velocity of gas based on total cross

sectional area of the tower and dp is the diameter of a sphere with the same
surface area per unit volume as the particle. Stanton number (St D) for mass
transfer is defined as (Sh/(Re.Sc)).

3.4.6 Mass transfer coefficient in hollow-fiber membrane module

Hollow-fiber membrane modules are extensively used in various membrane
separation processes including gas separation, reverse osmosis, filtration and
dialysis. In this module a bundle of randomly packed fibers are enclosed in a
case to contact two process streams. As per Bao et al. (1999), a typical hollowfiber membrane module is shown in Figure 3.2. When fluids flow through the
shell and lumen as shown in Figure, mass is transferred from one stream to other
stream through the fiber wall. The mass transfer depends on the nature of the
membrane. There are numerous correlations in literature for shell side mass
transfer coefficients in this module of membrane.

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

Figure 3.2: Typical hollow fiber membrane

Costello et al. (1993) developed a correlation for mass transfer coefficient for
liquid flowing through the shell parallel to the fiber which can be represented as:

Sh f ( ) Re0.53 Sc0.33

(3.48)

where the packing fraction, refers to the fraction of the cross sectional area that
is occupied by the fibers. f() is the function of fiber packing fraction which is
written as:

1
f ( ) 0.53(1 1.1 )

0.47

(3.49)

The Sherwood number and Reynolds numbers are defined as 2Rk L/DAB and
(2Rv0(1-))/() respectively. R is the fiber radius and v0 is the superficial liquid
velocity. The above correlation is valid in the range of 30<100<75 and
20<Re<350. In case of flow through the lumen and constant wall concentration
which is more common in application, Cussler (1997) made a correlation which is
given by
1/ 3

Sh 1.62 PeD i ; Re ( di v / ) 2100

L

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(3.50)

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

where Sh = dikL/DAB is the Sherwood number for module length L. d i is the fiber
inside diameter.
The correlations are also given in tabular form in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2: Correlations for mass transfer coefficient for different cases

Cases
For

Correlations for mass transfer coefficient

single

sphere

(natural convection)

Sh Shnc 0.347(Re Sc0.5 )0.62

where 1 < Re < 3104 and 0.6 < Sc < 3200

Shnc 2.0 0.569(GrD Sc)1 / 4

where GrDSc < 108

Shnc 2.0 0.0254(GrD Sc)1 / 3 Sc0.244

where GrD Sc > 108

For

single

sphere

Sh 2.0 0.552 Re1 / 7 Sc1 / 3

(forced convection)

Where 2 < Re <12000 and 0.6 < Sc < 2.7

For flat plates

at laminar condition and Re < 3105

Sh 0.664 Re1 / 2 Sc1 / 3

at turbulent condition and Re > 3105

Sh 0.036 Re4 / 5 Sc1 / 3

For both laminar and turbulent condition

0.6< Sc < 2500
For single cylinder

kG P
0.281Re 0.4 Sc 0.56
Gm

where 400 < Re < 25000 and 0.6 < Sc < 2.6.
Sh 0.023 Re0.83 Sc0.44

Circular pipes

where 2.0103 < Re < 3.50103 and 0.6 < Sc < 2.5
Sh 0.023 Re0.83 Sc1 / 3

where 0.4104 < Re < 7.0104 and 0.6 < Sc <

3.0103
Packed
beds

and

fluidized

St D Sc 2 / 3

0.010

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0.863 /
Re0.58 0.483
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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

where 1 < Re < 2100

St D 1.17 Re0.415 Sc 2 / 3
where 10 < Re < 2500.
Hollow-fiber membrane
module

Sh 1.62 Pe D i
L

1/ 3

Where Re ( di v / ) 2100

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