Mass transfer operations

Assignment I: Steady state diffusion. (Total 50 points)

Submission deadline: 7 PM, 22-05-2020.
1. n-propanol is stored at 250C in an open circular tank (exposed to air) which is having
diameter of 8 m. Air is insoluble in n–propanol and the concentration of n-propanol
17.2 mcabe beyond 5mm above the liquid level is negligible. If the cost of n-propanol is Rs 80/- per
kg litre, calculate the loss to company in Rs/day by storing propanol in such open tank.
The vapour pressure of n-propanol at 250C is 20 mm Hg and diffusivity of n-propanol
in water is 0.0363 m2/s. (10)
air

2. By what percentage would the rate of absorption be increased or decreased by

10.3 richardson 1 increasing the total pressure from 100 to 200 kN/m2 in the following cases?
(a) The absorption of ammonia from a mixture of ammonia and air containing 10% of
ammonia by volume, using pure water as solvent. Assume that all the resistance to mass
transfer lies within the gas phase.
(b) The same conditions as (a) but the absorbing solution exerts a partial vapour
pressure of ammonia of 5 kN/m2.
The diffusivity can be assumed to be inversely proportional to the absolute pressure.
(14)
3. Determine the rates of following reactions occurring at flat catalyst surface.
a. Reaction of type 2A B 2.8 dutta
b. Reaction of type 2A 3B
Obtain expression in terms of temperature T, total pressure P, partial pressure pB of
product B. Diffusion of gases occurs through the gas film of thickness δ. It can be
assumed that the concentration of reactant A at the catalyst surface is negligible.
(14)

4. Derive the equation for determination of Liquid-phase diffusion coefficient using

page 45
Diaphragm cell. (7)

5. Liquid phase diffusivity at infinite dilution is given by Wilke-Chang equation:

solved
0
1.173 × 10−16 (𝜑𝑀𝐵 )0.5 𝑇
𝐷𝐴𝐵 =
µ𝑣𝐴0.6
0
Where 𝐷𝐴𝐵 is diffusivity of the solute A in solvent B in m2/s, superscript 0 refers to
infinite dilution, 𝑀𝐵 is molecular weight of B, 𝜑 is association factor of solvent, T is
absolute temperature in K, µ is solution viscosity in kg/m.s, vA is solute molar volume
at normal boiling point in m3/kmol.
Predict the diffusivity of acetone in water at 250C and 500C. Compare the estimated
value with experimentally determine value of 1.28 × 10-9 m2/s at 250C. Association
factor of water is 2.6 and molar volume of acetone is 0.074 m3/kmol. Take appropriate
values of other parameters from literature.
(5)