Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION-THE SUBJECT OF TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

1.1 Introduction

The molecular mechanism underlying the various transport phenomena are very closed. All
materials are make up of molecules and the same molecular motions and interactions are
responsible for viscosity, thermal conductivity and diffusion. So, we can describe these transport
phenomena at basic equations and solve the problems by “analogy”.

Momentum by viscous forces

Molecular Transport Heat by conduction

Mass by molecular diffusion

Convection Flow
External forces-gravity, etc
Generation Electrical heating, etc.
Reactions
1-1

1-2
1.2 Three levels at which transport phenomena can be studied

Q Heat added to system

2

Different length scales !!

1 Wm
Work done on the system by surroundings

(a)
Macroscopic level
-Write down a set of
macroscopic balance.
(c)
(b) Molecular level -a fundamental understanding of
Microscopic level mechanism of mass, momentum
-exam what is happening to , energy and angular momentum
the fluid mixture in a small transport of molecular structure
region. and interaction forces.
-write down a set of equation
of change. 1-3

Molecular theory of the transport properties

-viscosity
-thermal conductivity
-diffusivity

Microscopic level
Determine:
-velocity profiles
-temperature profile
-concentration profile

Macroscopic level
Conservation law
- conservation of momentum
- conservation of energy
- conservation of mass

1-4
 1-5
1.3 General molecular transport equation for momentum, heat and mass Transfer

All three of the molecular transport processes of momentum, heat or thermal energy
, and mass are characterized by the same general transport equation.

driving force
rate of transfer process =
resistance
It is similar to Ohmic’s law in electricity.

We can formalize the above expression by writing an equation

dΓ in = ψ z
ψ Z = −δ z out = ψ z z +Δz
dz
Γ

ψz
z z+Δz z

ψz: the flux of the property as amount of property being transfer per unit time
per unit area perpendicular to the z-direction. [ # A ⋅ t ]
Γ: amount of the property per unit volume. [#/V]
z: the distance in the direction of flow. [L] 1-6