BioE.

335 - BioTransport II
HW 7.

Problem 1. Consider the STEADY STATE molecular

diffusion of chemical A into a square (L long and W wide)
permeable hydrogel shown here. There is no convective
flow within the hydrogel nor is there a reaction involving A.
The concentration of A (CA) along the four edges of the
square are somehow magically maintained at the constant
values shown in the diagram.

A. Starting from the General continuity equation here in

Cartesian Coordinates, derive the specific continuity
equation describing the steady state concentration profile
in the membrane.

∂𝐶# / ∂t + 𝑉) ∂𝐶# / ∂x + 𝑉+ ∂𝐶# / ∂y + 𝑉- ∂𝐶# / ∂z

= 𝐷#1 (𝜕 4 𝐶# / ∂𝑥 4 + 𝜕 4 𝐶# / ∂𝑦 4 + 𝜕 4 𝐶# / ∂𝑧 4 ) + 𝑟#

reasons: no flow anywhere; diffusion only in X and Y-directions, no reaction in membrane.

0 = ∂2CA/∂x2 + ∂2CA/∂y2 EQ. 1

B. State the boundary conditions.

BCs: @ y = 0 all x’s CA = C1 x = 0 all y’s CA = C1
y = W all x’s CA = C2 x = L all y’s CA = C1

C. Write the dimensionless versions of the equations in parts A & B.

C+ = C(x,y) – C1/(C2-C1) and since square W=L y+ = y/L and x+ = x/L although you don’t
really need to normalize x,y for this problem.

Using these Now EQ. 1 becomes.. 0 = ∂2C+/∂(x+)2 + ∂2C+/∂(y+)2 EQ.2

BCs/IC become y+ = 0; x+ = 0; and x+ = 1 C+ = 0. y+ = 1 C+ = 1.

D. Using separation of variables, try to solve the equation in part C for the steady state
concentration profile in the membrane.
If C+ (y+, x+) then we can define two new functions Y(y+) and X(x+) such that
C+ (y+, x+) = Y(y+) X(x+)
So now EQ. 2 becomes..
∂2Y X/∂(x+)2 + ∂2Y X /∂(y+)2 = 0
Or
Y ∂2X /∂(x+)2 + X ∂2Y /∂(y+)2 = 0
Or
1/X ∂2X /∂(x+)2 + 1/Y ∂2Y /∂(y+)2 = 0
Or 1/X ∂2X /∂(x+)2 = - 1/Y ∂2Y /∂(y+)2 EQ.3
Left hand side is function only of t+ and right hand side is a function of only y+, then the only
way this can be is if both sides are equal to the same constant, - J2
So now separate EQ. 3 and solve the two ordinary differential equations..

d2X /d(x+)2 + J2 X = 0 the solution is X(x+) = Asin (Jx+) + Bcos (Jx+) EQ.
4

d2Y/∂(y+)2 - J2 Y = 0 solution is Y(y+) = Ccosh (Jy+) + Dsinh (Jy+)

EQ.5

Need to determine A, B, C and J using BC/ICs.

At x+ = 0, X = 0 so EQ. 4 becomes 0 = Asin (0)+ Bcos (0) therefore B must = 0.

At y+ = 0 Y = 0 so EQ. 5 becomes 0 = Ccosh (0) + Dsinh (0) therefore C must = 0.

At x+ = 1 C+ = 0 thus EQ.4 becomes 0 = A sin(J1); A ≠ 0 so sin(J) must = 0

which has infinite possibilities …. nπ for n= 1,2, ………

So the reduced solution in terms of C+ is

C+ (x+, y+) = ∑D B B
<EF 𝐺< sin(𝑛𝜋𝑥 ) sinh (𝑛𝜋𝑦 ) EQ. 6

At y+ = 1, C+ = 1 EQ. 6 becomes.. 1 = ∑D B
<EF 𝐺< sin(𝑛𝜋𝑥 ) sinh (𝑛𝜋) EQ. 7

Need to carry out a Fourier Series treatment of EQ. 7 multiplying by an orthogonal forcing
function

sin(mπx+) dx and then integrate result from 0 to x+

I I
∫F sin (𝑚𝜋 𝑥 B ) 𝑑𝑥 B = ∑D B B
<EF 𝐺< ∫F sin(𝑚𝜋𝑥 ) sin(𝑛𝜋𝑥 ) sinh(𝑛𝜋) 𝑑𝑥
B
KEF
if you carry out the integral after the summation, then all integrals on RHS = zero
except when n = m..

thus
 D
I I
L sin (𝑛𝜋 𝑥 B ) 𝑑𝑥 B = M 𝐺< L sin4 (𝑛𝜋𝑥 B ) sinh(𝑛𝜋) 𝑑𝑥 B
F <EF F
KEF

carry out the integrals as indicated then solve for Gn

− cos (𝑛𝜋𝑥 B ) RB EI 𝑥B sin(2𝑛𝜋𝑥 B ) RBEI

( )
|RB EF = 𝐺< sinh 𝑛𝜋 S − V RB EF
𝑛𝜋 2 4𝑛𝜋

4W(XI)YZ[ BI\
solving for 𝐺< =
<] ^_`a (<])

2W(−1)𝑛+1 +1\
Final solution: C+ (x+, y+) = ∑D
<EF sin(𝑛𝜋𝑥 B ) sinh (𝑛𝜋𝑦 B ) EQ. 8
𝑛𝜋 sinh (𝑛𝜋)