Chapter 13

Unsteady State Mass Transfer

Theory

The unidirectional unsteady state mass transfer equation in the x-direction is

given by Fick’s 2nd law:

@C @2C
¼ Dij 2
@t @x

The solutions of the unsteady state mass transfer equation are the same with the
solutions of the unsteady state heat transfer equation given in Tables 10.1, 10.2, and
10.4, with the following correspondence between heat and mass transfer variables:
where
Bim = Biot number for mass transfer
CFi = species concentration in the fluid at the interface, mol/m3, kg/m3

Table 13.1 Relations between heat and mass transfer parameters

Heat transfer Mass transfer

Te  T Cs  C
Te  To Cs  Co
Dij t
Fo ¼ at2 Fom ¼
L L2

Bi ¼ hL Bim ¼ mDkc L
k ij

pxffiffiffiffiffi pxffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2 at 2 Dij t
pffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
h at m kc Dij t
k Dij

S. Yanniotis, Solving Problems in Food Engineering. 163

Ó Springer 2008
164 13 Unsteady State Mass Transfer

CFL = species concentration in the bulk of the fluid, mol/m3, kg/m3

Cs = species concentration in the medium at the surface of the solid, mol/m3,
kg/m3
Co = initial concentration of the species in the solid, mol/m3, kg/m3
C = concentration of the species in the solid at time t and point x, mol/m3,
kg/m3
Dij = mass diffusivity, m2/s
Fom = Fourier number for mass transfer
kc = mass transfer coefficient, m/s
L = characteristic dimension (half thickness of the plate, radius of a cylinder
or sphere), m
m = equilibrium distribution coefficient
x = distance of the point from the center plane of the plate, or from the
surface in the case of semi-infinite body, m
t = time, s
To calculate the concentration as a function of time and position in a solid we
follow the same procedure as for calculating the temperature as a function of
time and position in a solid:
1. Identify the geometry of the system. Determine if the solid can be considered
as plate, infinite cylinder, or sphere.
2. Determine if the surface concentration is constant. If not, calculate the Biot
number and decide the relative importance of internal and external resistance
to mass transfer.
3. Select the appropriate equation given for unsteady state heat transfer
(Tables 10.1, 10.2, 10.4).
4. Calculate the Fourier number.
5. Find the concentration by applying the selected equation (if Fo > 0:2, cal-
culate the temperature either using only the first term of the series solution or
using Heisler or Gurnie-Lurie charts).

Review Questions

Which of the following statements are true and which are false?
1. If the concentration at any given point of a body changes with time,
unsteady state mass transfer occurs.
2. Fick’s 2nd law is used in unsteady state mass transfer problems.
3. Gurnie-Lurie and Heisler charts are valid for unsteady state mass transfer
problems.
4. The Heisler chart can be used to find the concentration at any point in a
body if the Fourier and Biot numbers are known.
5. Gurnie-Lurie charts are used when Fo < 0:2.