Lecture - 3

Fick’s Law
Molar flux of a species A with respect to an observer moving with molar average velocity in a
direction Z, is proportional to the concentration gradients exits in that direction.
ⅆ𝐶𝐴
JAZ ∝ ⅆ𝑧
ⅆ𝐶𝐴
JAZ = - DAB ⅆ𝑧

DAB is the proportionality constant which is also known as mass/molar diffusivity. It tells us that
how easily mass/moles can diffuse. For a binary mixture it is given by DAB which means the
direction of diffusion is from A to B.
The diffusivity or diffusion coefficient DAB of a constituent A in solution in B is a measure of
its diffusive mobility. DAB is the mutual diffusion coefficient of A in B.
The negative sign is used because the concentration gradient is negative but flux is a positive
quantity.
Unit of diffusivity (DAB) = m2/s
Analogies between Mass, Heat and Momentum Transport
Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction
ⅆ𝑇
qZ = Q/A = - K ⅆ𝑧
ⅆ𝑇 𝜌𝐶𝑝
= - K ⅆ𝑧 × 𝜌𝐶𝑝

𝐾 ⅆ (𝑇𝜌𝐶𝑝)
= - 𝜌𝐶𝑝 × ⅆ𝑧

ⅆ (𝑇𝜌𝐶𝑝)
=-α× ⅆ𝑧

Where, α = thermal diffusivity (m2/s)

Unit of the term (𝑇𝜌𝐶𝑝) = KJ/m3
Newton’s Law of Viscosity
𝑑𝑉𝑥
𝜏𝑥𝑧 = − 𝜇
𝑑𝑍
ⅆ𝑉𝑥 𝜌
=−𝜇 ×
ⅆ𝑍 𝜌

𝜇 ⅆ(𝜌𝑉𝑥)
=− ×
𝜌 ⅆ𝑍

ⅆ(𝜌𝑉𝑥)
=−𝜗 × ⅆ𝑍
Where, 𝜗 = momentum diffusivity (m2/s)
Basic Law
Quantity Flux ∝ Quantity gradients
Quantity Flux = − Quantity diffusivity × Quantity gradients

Lecture – 4

General equation for mass transfer

BULK MOTION, MOLECULAR MOTION AND TOTAL MOLAR FLUX
Consider two containers of CO2 gas and He gas separated by a partition as shown. The
molecules of both the gases are in constant motion and make numerous collisions with the
partition.
If the partition is removed, the gases will mix due to the random velocities of their
molecules. In sufficient time, a uniform mixture of CO2 and He will result in the container.
The helium molecules will move to the bottom and carbon dioxide molecules will move to
the top. If they are denoted by A and B, and the total fluxes as NA and NB, then the net flux N
at steady state can be written as:
N = NA + NB
The movement of A comprises two components, one due to the bulk motion N and the
fraction xA of N which is A and the second component resulting from the diffusion of A, JA.
Steady state molecular diffusion in fluids at rest and in laminar flow
In case of diffusion in z direction.
In considering Fick’s Law of diffusion in a stationary fluid, there is no convective flow or bulk
flow of the mixture. A general expression for the flux NA will consider the whole fluid moving
in bulk with its average molar velocity and its diffusional flux.
Hence, the molar flux NA can be expresses as the sum of molar average velocity and
diffusional flux JA.