BKF 2432 MASS TRANSFER

Group Assignment 2

Please submit the assignment on ______________ during the class. Late submission will not be
evaluated. 4 person in one group.

QUESTION 1 [40 MARKS]

Removal of organic herbicides metsulfuron-methyl (MSM) from aqueous solution has been
studied in batch using activated carbon (AC) at 25oC and 1 atm. MSM is a white crystal form and
its chemical formula is C14H15N5O6S. A commercial granular activated carbon was used to
remove MSM at concentration of 0.05 kgmol/m 3 with the following property in Figure 1 and
Table 1:

Figure 1: Metsulfuron-methyl (MSM) chemical structure, with two N of secondary amines, three
N of doubly bonded, two of O joint to S, two of O double bond to carbonyl and two of normal O.

Table 1: Physical property of activated carbon (AC)

Physical property Activated carbon
Particle density 748 kg/m3
Total pore volume 7.27×10-4 m3/kg
Total volume of activated carbon 14.54×10-4 m3/kg

Average pore diameter 2.614 nanometer

Tortousity 1.5 -5.0

AC column height 0.5 m

a) Calculate the diffusion coefficient DAB of metsulfuron-methyl (MSM) in water if the
solute molar volume, vA is 0.3753.
(11 Marks)

b) Calculate the void fraction ε and effective diffusion coefficient DA,eff, using average
tortousity value.
(8 Marks)

c) Discuss the two potential resistances in the AC adsorption mass transfer process which
reduce the value of effective diffusion coefficient DA,eff.
(8 Marks)

d) Predict the mass transfer rate NA in the activated carbon of adsorption process. The outlet
concentration of MSM is very low and process nearly achieves complete MSM removal.
State your appropriate assumptions.
(13 Marks)

QUESTION 2 [30 MARKS]

Alginate is a promising material for several applications where the release of a macromolecular
solute is a key issue. An experiment was carried out of PEG release from calcium alginate bead
(hydrogel). The bead represents the gel network on the solute PEG mass transfer process. PEG
average molecular weight (MW) is 4000. The diffusivity model as follows:
( 3.595 ×10−11 × T )
D AB=
μ M B0.53
a) Determine the PEG diffusion, DAB in pure water at 37 °C and 1 atm using the above
model. Compare to the experimental value of DAB = 2 × 10-10 m2/s and conclude on the
model equation.
(12 Marks)

b) Based on Figure 2 and Table 2, discuss on the resistance of diffusivity of VB 12 solute

vitamin released from alginate CaCl2 bead (gel network) into the water.

Figure 2: Illustration of VB12 diffusion in alginate CaCl2 (w/w) bead.

Table 2: Diffusivity of VB12 in water at different % of alginate CaCl2.

System Solute
VB12 VB12
Alginate CaCl2 (w/w) bead 1.5% 3.0%
Diffusion Coefficients 1.7893 1.6269
(×10-10 m2s-1)

(8 Marks)
c) Calculate the mass transfer rate, NA of VB12 at 37oC temperature in 3.0% alginate CaCl2
tube of 0.04 m long. The VB12 initial concentration in the alginate CaCl2 tube is 0.2
kgmol/m3 solution.
(10 Marks)