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CHAPTER 6 Principles of Mass Transfer 61 INTRODUCTION TO MASS TRANSFER AND DIFFUSION 641A ty of Mass, Heat, and Momentum ‘Transfer Processes 1. Introduction. In Chapter 1 we noted that the various unit operations could be classified into three fundamental transfer (or “transport”) processes: momentum transfer, heat transfer, and mass transfer. The fundamental process of momentum transfer occurs in such unit operations as luid flow, mixing, sedimentation, and filtration, Heat transfer ‘occurs in conductive and convective transfer of heat, evaporation, distillation, and arying The third fundamental transfer process, mass transfer, occurs in distillation, absorp- tion, drying, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and membrane processes. When mass is being transferred from one distinct phase to another or through a single phase, the basic mechanisms are the same whether the phase is a gas, liquid, or solid. This was also shown in heat transfer, where the transfer of heat by conduction followed Fourier's law in a gas, solid, of liquid 2. General molecular transport equation. All three of the molecular transport processes of momentum, heat, and mass are characterized by the same general type of equation given in Section 2.3. Griving force rate of a transfer process = resistance ean This can be written as follows for molecular diffusion of the property momentum, heat, and mass: aly a 232 3. Molecular diffusion equations for momentum, heat, and mass transfer. Newton's equa- tion for momentum transfer for constant deasity can be written as follows in a manner similar to Eq, 23-2): _ Hales) p az 1-1) 38 where z,, is momentum transferred/s:m?, u/pis kinematic viscosity in m/s, zis distance inm, and v, p is momentum/m?, where the momentum has units of kg- m/s. Fourier’s law for heat conduction can be written as follows for constant p ande,: % (61-2) where q,/A is heat lux in W/m?, «is the thermal diffusivity inm?/s, and e, T isJ/m* ‘The equation for molecular diffusion of mass is Fick's law and is also similar to Eq. (23.2), Iris written as follows for constant total concentration ina fluid: Jago — Day EA 61 a Dan G4 61-3) where J, is the molar flux of component A in the z direction due to molecular diffusion in kg mol A/s-m?, Dg the molecular diffusivity of the molecule A in B inm?/s, c, the concentration of A in kg mol/m?, and z the distance of diffusion in m. In cgs units J, is g mol A/s-em?, D4gisem?/s, and ¢, is g mol Afem®. In English units, J, is Ib mol/h- ft, Dynis f'/h, and c4 is Tb mol/f? The similarity of Eqs. 6.1-1), (6.1-2), and (6.1-3) for momentum, heat, and mass transfer should be obvious. All the fluxes on the left-hand side of the three equations have as units transfer of a quantity of momentum, heat, or mass per unit time per unit area, The transport properties 1/9, %, and Day all have tnits of m/s, and the concentrations are represented as momentum/m?, 1/m°, or kgmol/m?.. 4. Turbulent diffusion equations for momentum, heat, and mass transfer. In Section 5.7C equations were given discussing the similarities among momentum, heat, and mass transfer in turbulent transfer. For turbulent momentum transfer and constant density, 4 : tux -($+0) 9 (61-4 p de For turbulent heat transfer for constant pande,, fee fag) MD - $— (a4) Pe 15) For turbulent mass transfer for constant ¢, Sh —Wan + en) Se (61-6) In these equations ¢, is the turbulent or eddy momentum diffusivity in m*/s, a, the turbulent or eddy thermal diffusivity in m?/s, and ey the turbulent or eddy mass diffusivity in m?/s. Again, these equations are quite similar to each other. Many of the theoretical equations and empirical correlations for turbulent transport to various geometries are also quite similar. 61B Examples of Mass-Transfer Processes Mass transfer is important in many areas of science and engineering. Mass transfer occurs when a component in a mixture migrates in the same phase of from phase to phase because of a difference in concentration between two points. Many familiar Phenomena involve mass transfer. Liquid in an open pail of water evaporates into still air because of the difference in concentration of water vapor at the water surface and the 382 Chap.6 Principles of Mass Transfer surrounding air. There is a “driving force” from the surface to the ait. A piece of sugar added to a cup of coffee eventually dissolves by itself and diffuses to the surrounding solution, When newly cut and moist green timber is exposed to the atmosphere, the wood will dry partially when water in the timber diffuses through the wood, to the surface, and then to the atimosphere. In a fermentation process nutrients and oxygen dissolved in the solution diffuse to the microorganisms. In a catalytic reaction the reactants diffuse from the surrounding medium to the catalyst surface, where reaction occurs. Many purification processes involve mass transfer. In uranium processing, a ura~ nium sat in solution is extracted by an organic solvent. Distillation to separate alcohol {rom water involves mass transfer. Removal of SO, from flue gas is done by absorption ina basic liquid solution, We can treat mass transfer in a manner somewhat similar to that used in heat transfer with Fourier’s law of conduction. However, an important difference is that in molecular mass transfer one or more of the components of the medium is moving. In heat transfer by conduction the medium is usually stationary and only energy in the form of heat is being transported. This introduces some differences between heat and mass transfer that will be discussed in this chapter. GAC. Fick's Law for Molecular Diffusion Molecular diffusion or molecular transport can be defined as the transfer or movement of individual molecules tnrough’a fuid by means ofthe random, individual movements of the molecules. We can imagine the molecules traveling only in straight Hines. and changing direction by bouncing off other molecules after collisions. Since the molecules travel ina random path, molecular dffedon iften called arandowewalk proces. Tn Fig. 6-1 the molecular digusion process is shown schematialy. A random path that molecule A might take in difusing through B molecules from point (1) to (2) is shown, If there are a greater number of A molecules near point (1) than at (2), then, since tmolecules dius randomly in both directions, more A mmolecule wil diffuse from (1) 10 {2)than from 2) to (1. The net diffusion of Ais from hho low-concenration regions ‘As another example, deop of Bue liquid dye is added to cup of water. The dye molecules wil diffe slowly by molecular difesion to al parts of the water. To increase this rate of mixing ofthe dye, the liquid can be mechanically agitated by a spoon and convective mass transfer will occur. The two modes of heat transfer, conduction and convective heat transfer, are analogous to molecular difusion and convective mass transfer. First, we will consider the diffsion of molecules when the whole bulk fui is not roving but i stationary. Diffusion of the molecules is due toa concentration gradient. FiouRe 61-1, Schematic diagram of molecu lar diffusion process. See.6.1 Introduction to Mass Transfer and Diffusion 383 “The general Fick’s law equation can be written as follows for a binary mixture of A and BE I dx, Dar Fe 617 where cis total concentration of A and Bin kg mol A + B/m?, and x, is the mole fraction, of Ain the mixture of A and B. Ife is constant, then sincee, = cx,, ede, = dlex,) = dey (61-8) Substituting into Eq, (6.1-7) we obtain Eq, (6.1-3) for constant total concentration 7 deg Jie= Das Gt (61-3) ‘This equation is the more commonly used one in many molecular diffusion processes. Ife varies some, an average value is often used with Eq. (6.1-3) EXAMPLE 61-1. Molecular Diffusion of Helium in Nitrogen A mixture of He and N, gas is contained in a pipe at 298 K and 1 atm total pressure which is constant throughout. At one end of the pipe at point 1 the partial pressure pq, of He is 0.60 atm and at the other end 0.2 m (20 cm) Paz = 020 tm, Calculate the ux of He at steady state if,» of the He-N, mixture is 0.687 x 10~* m?/s (0.687 em?/). Use SI and cgs units. Solution: Since total pressure P is constant, then ¢ is constant, where ¢ is as follows fora gas from the perfect gas law. PY =aRT 619) n_P toa (61-10) where n ig kg mol A plus B, ¥ is volume inm®, T is temperature in K, Ris 83143 m?- Pajkg mol: K or R is 82057 x 10"? m*-atmykg mol:K, and ¢ is ke mol A plus B/m®, In egs units, Ris 82.057 em* atmn/g mol K. For steady state the fux J§, in Eq. (6.1-3) is constant. Also,Dyg for a gasis constant. Rearranging Eq, (6.1-3) and integrating, re (61-11) (61-12) 1g Eq. (6.1-12) into (6.1-11), 1 = Dar(ear — Pas) Jas (6.1-13) This is the final equation to use, which is in the form easily used for gases. Partial pressures are py = 046 atm = 0.6 x 1.01325 x 10° = 6.08 x 10° Pa and paz =0.2 atm = 0.2 x 1.01325 x 10° = 2.027 x 10* Pa. Then, using SI 384 Chap.6 Principles of Mass Transfer units, (0.687 x 10756.08 x 10* — 2.027 x 10") - '8314(298X0.20 — 0) = 5.63 x 107% kg mol A/s-m? The If pressures in atm are used with ST units, (0.687 x 1040.60 — 020) Jie @a06 5 10-5 298{OI0—) 7 563 * 107% ke mol A/s-m For cgs units, substituting into Eq. (6-13), _ _ 0.4687(0.60~ 020) 5 65 19-7 » mol ajsuem? Fe = Benga9By20— 0, 7 563 * 10"? 8 mol A Other driving forces (besides concentration differences) for diffusion also occur because of temperature, pressure, electrical potential, and other gradients. Details are given elsewhere (B3). 61D Convective Mass-Transfer Coefficient When a fluid is flowing outside a solid surface in forced convection motion, we can express the rate of convective mass transfer from the surface to the fuid, or vice versa, by the following equation: Naa Keleu cud (61-14) where k, is @ mass-transfer coefficient in mys, c1, the bulk fluid concentration in kg mol Afm?, and cy, the concentration in the flbid next 10 the surface of the solid. This rmass-transfee coefficient is very similar to the heat-transfer coefficient h and is a function of the system geometry, fluid properties, and flow velocity. In Chapter 7 we consider ‘convective mass transfer in detai 62 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN GASES 62A Equimolar Counterdiffusion in Gases In Fig. 62-1 a diagram is given of two gases A and B at constant total pressure P in two large chambers connected by a tube where molecular diffusion at steady state is oc- G ae Par Par Pay 1 ee eea P 4 P i Pyy Py OP [

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