What is Mass Transfer?

Mass transfer specifically refers to the

relative motion of species in a mixture due
to concentration gradients.
Since the principles of mass transfer are very similar
to those of heat transfer, the analogy between heat
and mass transfer will be used throughout this
module.
Analogy between Heat and Mass Transfer
Mass transfer through Diffusion
Conduction Mass Diffusion

=
' '
s m
J
dy
dT
k q
2
(Fouriers law)

=
' '
s m
kg
dy
d
D j
A
AB A
2
c
p
(Ficks law)
p

is the density of the gas mixture
DAB is the diffusion coefficient
is the mass concentration of component A
p p c /
A A
=
Mass transfer through Diffusion
A
B
A
j
' '
B
j
' '
The sum of all diffusion fluxes must be zero:
0 =
' '

i
j
1 = +
B A
c c
B A
dy
d
dy
d
c c =
D
BA

= D
AB

= D
Heat and Mass Diffusion: Analogy
Consider unsteady diffusive transfer through a layer
Heat conduction, unsteady, semi-infinite plate
2
2
2
2
x
T
x
T
c
k
t
T
x
T
k
x t
T
c
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
=
c
c
o
p
p
0 2
*
2
2
= +
n
u
n
u
d
d
dy
d
t
x
o
n
4
=
Similarity transformation:
PDE ODE
Heat and Mass Diffusion: Analogy
Solution:
|
.
|

\
|
=

t
x
erf
T T
T T
u
o 4
1
0
Temperature field
Heat flux
( ) ( ) T T
t
kc
T T
t
k
dx
dT
k q
u u x x
= = =
' '
= =
t
p
to
0 0 0
&
Heat and Mass Diffusion: Analogy
Diffusion of a gas component, which is brought
in contact with another gas layer at time t=0
Transient diffusion
2
2
2
2
x
D
t
x
D
t
i i
i i
c
c
=
c
c
c
c
=
c
c
c c
c
p
p
Differential equation:
Initial and boundary
conditions:
( )
( )
( )
o i i
u i i
o i i
x t
x t
x t
,
,
,
, 0
0 , 0
, 0
c c
c c
c c
= >
= = >
= =
Heat and Mass Diffusion: Analogy
Solution:
Concentration field
Diffusive mass flux
|
.
|

\
|
=

Dt
x
erf
o i u
o i i
4
1
,
,
c c
c c
( )
o i Ph i x i
Dt
D
j
, , 0
c c
t
p
=
' '
=
Diffusive mass transfer on a surface
(Mass convection)
Fick's

Law, diffusive mass flow rate:
Dimensionless mass transfer
number, the Sherwood number Sh
0 *
*
0
*
=

=
c
c
=
c
c
=
' '
y
w
y A
y L
D
y
D j
c c c
p
c
p
mass transfer coefficient

s m
kg
h
mass
2
( )

=
' '
c c
w mass A
h j
) Sc (Re, Sh
0
*
*
*
f
y D
L h
y
mass
=
c
c
= =
=
c
p
n m
Sc C Sh Re =
Note: Compare with energy eqn. and Nusselt

No.: The constants C and the
exponents m and n of both relationships must be equal for comparable boundary
conditions.
Diffusive mass transfer on a surface..
Dimensionless number to represent
the relative magnitudes of heat and
mass diffusion in the thermal and
concentration boundary layers
Comparing the correlation for the
heat and mass transfer
Lewis No.
y diffusivit Mass
y diffusivit Thermal
Pr
Sc
Le = = =
D
o
Analogy between heat and mass transfer
n
Sc
Nu
Sh
|
.
|

\
|
=
Pr
1
Pr /

|
.
|

\
|
=
n
p
mass
Sc
c h
h
Hence,
For gases, Pr

Sc, hence: 1
/
=
p
mass
c h
h
Lewis relation