Counter diffusion in binary mixtures

Module VI
Modes of diffusion
 There are two modes of diffusion
 Fick’s law of diffusion: Stationary medium
containing two species
 According to Fick’s of molecular diffusion, in an isothermal, isobaric
binary system of components A and B, the mass flux of a species relative
to an observer moving with mass average velocity is proportional to the
concentration gradient in a certain direction.

 Consider a chamber containing stationary binary mixture of two species A

and B, initially separated by a partition.

 The left compartment has higher concentration of species A (open circles),

whereas, the concentration of the species B (dark circles) is higher in the
right compartment.

 When the partition is removed, due to the concentration difference , there

will be diffusion of species A from left to right and B from right to left

 After a period of time, an equilibrium condition will be attained.

 For the diffusion of the species A from left to right, according to
Fick’s law of molecular diffusion,
 Mass flux of species A,

(kg/s-m2)

 Mole flux of species A,

(kg-mole/s-m2)

A- area of diffusion, ρA – mass concentration of species A

CA – molar concentration of species A

DAB – Diffusion coefficient of species A into species B (m2/s)

 For the diffusion of the species B from left to right, according to
Fick’s law of molecular diffusion,
 Mass flux of species B,

(kg/s-m2)

 Mole flux of species B,

(kg-mole/s-m2)

A- area of diffusion, ρB – mass concentration of species B

CB – molar concentration of species B

DBA – Diffusion coefficient of species B into species A (m2/s)

Fick’s diffusion coefficient in a binary mixture is symmetric. i.e.,

DAB = DBA
 In the case of diffusion of gaseous species A & B,

Partial pressure of species A,

Simplifying, mass density of A,

Mass flux of species A,

Substituting, Mass flux of A,

Similarly, mass flux of species B,

 Mole flux of species A,

Mole concentration of A,

But we have , thus

Therefore, Mole flux of A,

Similarly, mole flux of species B,