Biotransport 335. HW 8.

Problem 1. You get to re-work HW3 Problem 2 again, with slightly different X
expectations. 0
Consider the adsorption of gas A by a fluid film of B falling down an impermeable Liquid B
solid wall under laminar flow. A is only slightly soluble in B so that the viscosity does Z
not change. A reacts with liquid B in a first order irreversible reaction in the liquid,
which can be described by the rate expression, rA = - kA1. Assume that the flow
velocity is laminar. The system is sketched opposite. Fluid B
flow A
A. Start with general continuity mass equation in Cartesian coordinates

𝝏𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝟐 𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝟐 𝑪𝑨 𝝏𝟐 𝑪𝑨

+ '𝑽𝒙 + 𝑽𝒚 + 𝑽𝒛 , = 𝑫𝑨/𝑩 1 𝟐 + + 3 + 𝑹𝑨
𝝏𝒕 𝝏𝒙 𝝏𝒚 𝝏𝒛 𝝏𝒙 𝝏𝒚𝟐 𝝏𝒛𝟐
!
steady no flow in x or y directions no diffusion assume
state in y direction negligible

Equation becomes…
89 :; 8(?@ :; )
𝐷67 8< 9
− 8B
− 𝑘𝐶6 = 0 EQ. 1
< N
where 𝑉B (𝑥) = 𝑉B/H6I (1 − K M ).
L

B. State all boundary conditions for the problem as stated.

@ X = 0 CA = CA0; @ z=0 CA = 0; and @ X = d NAX = ∂CA/∂x = 0 (no flux through wall)

C. Now assume a “short contact time” - B fluid is flying down wall so there is very little penetration of A into
B film - thus the distance A penetrates in the x-direction is small compared to d. Related to this short-contact
time is the fact that A is only slightly soluble in B. Using these assumptions, explain in DETAIL, how the EQ1
can be reduced to …

8:; 89 :;
𝑉B/H6I = 𝐷67 EQ. 2
8B 8< 9

and once again, explain why the new boundary conditions, after this “short contact time” assumption become:
1. @ x = ¥, CA = 0 2. @ x= 0, CA = CA0 @ z=0, CA = 0
Very little penetration of A into film, thus X depth penetrated is small compared to d, thus in velocity profile x/d
is small and (x/d)2 even smaller. So velocity profile reduces to VZ = VZ-MAX . Short Contact time and low
solubility infers that CA is small so that rA would be small; neglect the reaction. Finally, if A does not penetrate
far, then it will never “see” the wall at d, so assume that the wall is at X = ¥ and CA = 0.

So EQ. 1 becomes EQ. 2 and Boundary Conditions are @ X = ¥ CA = 0; @ X=0 CA =CA0; @ z=0 CA =0.

D. Using these new conditions, completely SOLVE EQ. 2 for the concentration profile CA as a function of x
and z.
Need to recognize that this equation must be solved with Combination of Variables.
WX
?@PQRS I 9 N I
Define C+ = CA/CA 0
and 𝜂 = K M =
TU;V B Z[ \
Y] ;V
\P^;_

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 Biotransport 335. HW 8.
Using the chain rule and recognizing this is the same problem worked in class for unsteady state drug
release into infinite area, the dimensionless form of EQ2, becomes an ordinary differential equation..
`9 : a `: a
`b9
+ 2𝜂 `b
=0 EQ.3 if P = dC+/dh then EQ.3 becomes.. dP/dh + 2hP = 0 or dP/dh = - 2hP

separate & integrate.. P = A1 exp(-h2); sub in definition of P, dC+/dh = A1 exp(-h2) separate and
integrate again…

:f b
∫g 𝑑𝐶 f = 𝐶 f = 𝐴W ∫g 𝑒𝑥𝑝(− 𝜂 N ) 𝑑𝜂 + 𝐴N where A1 and A2 are integration constants to
be determined from boundary conditions.
0
g
@ h = 0 (x=0) C+ = 1 = 𝐴W ∫g 𝑒𝑥𝑝k− 𝜂2 l 𝑑𝜂 + 𝐴 N Thus, A2 = 1.

b
Now equation becomes 𝐶 f = 𝐴W ∫g 𝑒𝑥𝑝(− 𝜂 N ) 𝑑𝜂 + 1 EQ.4

m
@ h = ¥ C+ = 0 So, 0 = 𝐴W ∫g 𝑒𝑥𝑝(− 𝜂 N ) 𝑑𝜂 + 1 Solving for A1 yields

m
𝐴W = −1 / ∫g 𝑒𝑥𝑝(− 𝜂 N ) 𝑑𝜂 putting this back into EQ.4 yields…
r
/ ∫s opq(/b9 )`b (/N) b
𝐶f = t + 1 or evaluating the denominator.. 𝐶 f = 1 + ∫ exp(−𝜂 N ) 𝑑𝜂
∫s opq(/b9 )`b √v g
which can finally be written as C+ = 1 – erf (h) erf = error function.

Problem 2. Yep ! You get to re-work this problem again, now with slightly new assumptions.
X
0 As before, if you started with the general continuity mass equation in Cartesian
Liquid B coordinates and eliminate all unneeded terms, you would arrive at
Z
8 9 :; 8(?@ :; )
𝐷67
8< 9
−
8B
− 𝑘𝐶6 = 0 EQ. 1

Fluid B < N
flow
where 𝑉B (𝑥) = 𝑉B/H6I (1 − KL M ).
A

A. Now assume that A is only slightly soluble in B, which means its concentration is low
but finite. Also assume that the fluid layer d is relatively thin, so that A would reach the
wall. Using these assumptions, explain in DETAIL, how the EQ1 can be reduced to …
!
< N 8:; 8 9 :;
𝑉B/H6I '1 − KLM , 8B
= 𝐷67 8< 9
EQ. 2
for the exact same reasons in Problem 1 except that the velocity profile must remain complete since there is
no assumption of short contact time. Thus the entire profile must be used.
B. State all boundary conditions.
Boundary Conditions are @ X = d ∂CA / ∂x = 0 (no flux thru wall); @ X=0 CA =CA0; @ z=0 CA =0.

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 Biotransport 335. HW 8.

C. Using these boundary conditions, try to completely SOLVE EQ. 2 for the concentration profile CA as a
function of x and z.
First, need to dimensionalize EQ. 2 and Boundary Conditions. Define C+ = CA(x, z) / CA0 and x+ = x / d

since there is no characteristic length scale in z direction will simply define z+ = z / zc

8: a U;V Bz 89 : a L 9 ?@PQRS
Thus, EQ. 2 becomes, (1 − (𝑥 f )N ) 8B a = ? L 9
8(< a)9 note if zc were set = U;V
@P^;_

8: a 89 : a
then the normalized equations becomes, (1 − (𝑥 f )N ) = 8(< a)9 EQ. 3
8B a
and Boundary conditions become,
x+ = 0 C+ = 1
x+ = 1 ∂C+ / ∂x+ = 0
z+ = 0 C+ = 0

Recognizing you need to solve EQ.3 using Separation of Variables, define C+ = X(x+) • Z(z+)

so now EQ. 3 becomes

𝜕𝑋𝑍 𝜕 N 𝑋𝑍
(1 − (𝑥 f )N ) =
𝜕𝑧 f 𝜕(𝑥 f )N
8• 89 I
or (1 − (𝑥 f )N ) 𝑋 = 𝑍 8(< a )9
8B a

W 8• W W 89 I
or • 8B a = (W/ (< a )9) I 8(< a)9 = −𝜆N

Now you can separate this into two equations both equal to the same constant, - l2.

8•
8B a
= −𝜆N 𝑍 solution is Z = A exp (- l2 z+) EQ. 4

89 I
8(< a)9 + 𝜆N (1 − (𝑥 f )N ) 𝑋 = 0 (just like in class notes) 𝑋(𝑥 f )• = ∑m f •
•„g 𝑏• (𝑥 ) EQ. 5

Thus C+ = A exp (- l2 z+) ∑m f •

•„g 𝑏• (𝑥 ) Would need to use boundary conditions to solve for l, bn, and
A but this is as far as you are required to go.

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