CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

Chapter 1 Example Solutions

Fundamentals of Mass Transfer
Example 1: Equimolar Counterdiffusion
Ammonia gas (A) is diffusing through a uniform tube 0.10 m long containing N2 gas (B) at
101325 Pa pressure and 298 K. At point 1, 𝑃𝐴,1 = 10130 Pa and at point 2, 𝑃𝐴,2 = 5070 Pa. The
diffusivity 𝐷𝐴𝐵 = 0.230 × 10−4 m2/s. Calculate the flux 𝑁𝐴 at steady state.

Solution

NA

PA1, PB1 PA2, PB2

P NB P
z=0 z = z1
PA1 PB2
PB1 PA2

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑑𝑃𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = −
𝑅𝑇 𝑑𝑧
𝐷𝐴𝐵 (𝑃𝐴,1 − 𝑃𝐴,2 )
𝑁𝐴 =
𝑅𝑇 (𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )
−4
(0.230 × 10 m2 ⁄s) (10130 Pa − 5070 Pa) −4
𝑁𝐴 = = 4.70 × 10 m2 ⁄s
Pa m3 (0.10 m − 0 m)
(8.314 ) (298 K)
mol K

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

Example 2: Mass transfer of CO2 through water film

A thin film of water (5 mm) is exposed to CO2 (solubility = 615×10-6 mol CO2/mol liquid) on one
side and He (solubility = 6.997×10-6 mol He/mol liquid) on the other side. Consider He to be
essentially insoluble in water. What is the flux of CO2 through the water film?

Solution

Fick’s first law of diffusion:

𝑑𝐶𝐴
𝑁̇𝐴𝑦 = −𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝐴
𝑑𝑦
where A = CO2 and B = water
The concentration profile is linear at steady-state. From Table J.2, the diffusion coefficient of
CO2 in water is 1.77×10-9 m2/s at 293 K (assumed temperature). The concentration of CO2 at y =
0 needs to be converted into units of mol/m3. Assume that the mixture is so dilute that the
properties of the mixture can be approximated as the properties of water.
Fick’s first law of diffusion through a stagnant film:
𝑑𝑦𝐴
𝑁𝐴𝑦 = −𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 + 𝑦𝐴 𝑁𝐴 𝑦
𝑑𝑦
𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑑𝑦𝐴
𝑁𝐴𝑦 = −
1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑑𝑦
Δ𝑦 0
𝑁𝐴𝑦 1
∫ 𝑑𝑦 = − ∫ 𝑑𝑦
𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝐴
0 𝑦𝐴𝑠

𝑁𝐴𝑦 1
Δ𝑦 = ln
𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑠

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 1
𝑁𝐴𝑦 = ln
Δ𝑦 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑠
kg mol 4
mol
𝑐 = 1000 ⋅ = 5.551 × 10
m3 0.018016 kg m3
2
mol −9 m
(5.551 × 104 ) (1.77 × 10 ) 1
m3 s
𝑁𝐴𝑦 = ln ( )
0.005 m 1 − 615 × 10−6
mol CO2
𝑁𝐴𝑦 = 1.209 × 10−5
m2 ⋅ s

Example 3: Estimation of Diffusivity of a Gas Mixture

Butanol (A) is diffusing through air at 1 atm. Using the Fuller et al. method, estimate the
diffusivity, 𝐷𝐴𝐵 , for the following temperatures and compare with experimental data:
a) For 0°C (Experimental 𝐷𝐴𝐵 = 7.03×10-6 m2/s)
b) For 25.9°C (Experimental 𝐷𝐴𝐵 = 8.70×10-6 m2/s)
c) For 0°C and 2.0 atm (No Experimental 𝐷𝐴𝐵 )

Solution
Butanol (A) – C4H10O
Air (B)
a)
𝑇 = 273 + 0 = 273 K

g
𝑀𝐴 (butanol) = 74.1
mol
g
𝑀𝐵 (air) = 29
mol

∑𝜈𝐴 = 4C + 10H + 1O = 4(15.9) + 10(2.31) + 1(6.11) = 92.81

∑𝜈𝐵 = 19.7

1
−7 1.75 1 1 2
1.00 × 10 𝑇 (𝑀 + 𝑀 )
𝐴 𝐵
𝐷𝐴𝐵 =
1 1 2
𝑃 [(∑𝜈𝐴 )3 + (∑𝜈𝐵 )3 ]

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

1
1 1 2
1.00 × 10−7 (273)1.75 ( + ) m2
(74.1) (29)
𝐷𝐴𝐵 = = 7.69 × 10−6
1 1 2 s
(1.0) [(92.81)3 + (19.7)3 ]

|Theoretical − Experimental|
% Deviation × 100%
Experimental

7.69 × 10−6 − 7.03 × 10−6

% Deviation × 100% = 9.34%
7.03 × 10−6

b)
𝑇 = 273 + 25.9 = 298.9 K

1
1 1 2
1.00 × 10−7 𝑇 1.75 (𝑀 + 𝑀 )
𝐴 𝐵
𝐷𝐴𝐵 =
1 1 2
𝑃 [(∑𝜈𝐴 )3 + (∑𝜈𝐵 )3 ]

1
1 1 2
1.00 × 10−7 (298.9)1.75 ( + ) m2
(74.1) (29)
𝐷𝐴𝐵 = = 9.008 × 10−6
1 1 2 s
(1.0) [(92.81)3 + (19.7)3 ]

|Theoretical − Experimental|
% Deviation × 100%
Experimental

9.008 × 10−6 − 8.70 × 10−6

% Deviation × 100% = 3.54%
8.70 × 10−6

c)
𝑃1
𝐷𝐴𝐵,𝑃2 = 𝐷𝐴𝐵,𝑃1 ( )
𝑃2

1 atm
𝐷𝐴𝐵,𝑃2 = (7.69 × 10−6 m2 ⁄s) ( ) = 3.845 × 10−6 m2 ⁄s
2 atm

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

Example 4: Estimation of the Mass Transfer Coefficient

Calculate the value of the mass-transfer coefficient and the flux for mass transfer from a sphere of
naphthalene to air at 45°C and 1 atm flowing at a velocity of 0.305 m/s. The diameter of the sphere
is 25.4 mm. The diffusivity of naphthalene in air at 45°C is 6.92 × 10-6 m2/s and the vapour pressure
of solid naphthalene is 0.555 mmHg.

Solution
101325 Pa
𝑃𝐴∗ 0.555 mmHg ⋅ 760 mmHg mol
𝐶𝐴𝑠 = = 3 = 0.02888 3
𝑅𝑇 Pa ⋅ m m
(8.314 ) (308.15 K)
mol ⋅ K

𝜇 = 1.93 × 10−5 Pa s

kg
𝜌 = 1.113
m3
𝜇 1.93 × 10−5 Pa s
Sc = = = 2.505
𝜌𝐷𝐴𝐵 (1.113 kg⁄m3 )(6.92 × 10−6 m2 ⁄s)

𝜌𝑢𝐷𝑃 (1.113 kg⁄m3 )(0.305 m⁄s)(0.0254 m)

Re = = = 446
𝜇 1.93 × 10−5 Pa s

Sh = 2 + 0.552Re0.53 Sc 1⁄3

Sh = 2 + 0.552(446)0.53 (2.505)1⁄3 = 21.0

𝑘𝐶 𝐷𝑝 Sh𝐷𝐴𝐵 (21.0)(6.92 × 10−6 m2 ⁄s) m

Sh = → 𝑘𝐶 = = = 5.72 × 10−3
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝐷𝑃 0.0254 m s
mol
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝐶 (𝐶𝐴,𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴,∞ ) = (5.72 × 10−3 m⁄s)(0.02888 mol⁄m3 − 0) = 1.65 × 10−4
m2 s

Example 5: Unsteady-State Mass Transfer Using the Concentration Response

Charts
A large flat slab of wood 50 mm thick and initially containing 30 wt% moisture is being dried
using hot air on both sides. Since the slab is large and flat, end and edge effects are negligible. The
moisture content at the surface of the wood is maintained at 5 wt% by flowing hot air over the
surface of the wood. The diffusivity of water vapour in the wood is approximately 1.03×10-8 m2/s.
Calculate the time for the center of the wood slab to reach a moisture content of 10 wt%.

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

Solution
To calculate the Biot number, a convective yAs = 0.05 yAs = 0.05
mass transfer coefficient (kc) is needed. We are
not given this value but are instead given the
surface concentration of water (yAs = 0.05). The
temperature response charts are for situations L
Wood Air
when yA∞ is known, not yAs. We can force the kc yA
DAB = 1.03×10-8 m2/s
value of yA∞ to be equal to yAs by setting kc to +x
be very high. 50 mm

Typical case where Forcing yA to equal yAs by

yA is known. setting kc to be very high.
yAs yAs
yA

yA
L A L A
= kcC(yAs – yA = kcC(yAs – yA
A A

+x +x According to the convection

equation, yA yAs as kc
(for the same mass transfer rate)

A lumped capacity solution will not be valid because we have assumed a negligible convective
resistance. Since both sides of the wood are maintained at a constant concentration, we can use
the temperature response chart with an infinite convective mass transfer coefficient.
We want to determine the time for the center mass fraction to reach 10 wt%. At the center, we
have the following dimensionless distance:
𝑥 0
= =0
𝐿 0.025 m
The dimensionless concentration can be calculated as follows:
𝑦𝐴 − 𝑦𝐴∞ 0.10 − 0.05
Θ= = = 0.2
𝑦𝐴𝑖 − 𝑦𝐴∞ 0.30 − 0.05
The Biot number is infinite because the convective mass transfer coefficient is assumed to be
infinite:
𝑘𝑐 𝐿
Bi = →∞
𝐷𝐴𝐵
The largest Biot number on the temperature response chart is 100, and we can see that the curves
show an asymptotic behaviour at this point. Using this value give the following Fourier number:
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑡
Fo = ≈ 0.8
𝐿2

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

Therefore, the time can be calculated from the definition of the Fourier number:
Fo𝐿2 0.8(0.025 m)2
𝑡= = = 48544 s = 13.5 h
𝐷𝐴𝐵 −8 m2
1.03 × 10 s

Example 6: Unsteady-State Mass Transfer Using Finite Differences

Carbon dioxide is being absorbed into a solution. Once dissolved, the dissolved carbon dioxide is
converted into another species. The transient one-dimensional diffusion-reaction process is
governed by the following partial differential equation (PDE):
𝜕𝐶 𝜕 2𝐶
= 𝐷 2 − 𝑘𝐶
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥
where C is the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration (kmol/m3), t is time (s), x is distance (m),
D is the diffusion coefficient for dissolved carbon dioxide in the solution (m2/s), and k is the first-
order reaction rate constant (s-1). Assume that: 𝐷 = 1.5 × 10−9 m2/s and k = 35 s-1. Additionally,
assume that the initial condition is,
𝐶|𝑡<0 = 0
Further, the boundary conditions may be assumed to be,
kmol
𝐶|𝑥=0 = 0.03
m3
𝐶|𝑥=0.0001 = 0
Use the finite difference method (FDM) with 6 node points (not including false nodes) to convert
the PDE into a system of ODEs. Remember to apply the boundary conditions to derive unique
equations at the boundary nodes.

Solution
A suitable set of node points is shown in the following diagram:

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CHEE 4704: Separation Processes II Fall 2023

We do not need to solve an equation at point 1 because the concentration is already specified.
Thus,
𝐶1 = 0.03
We also do not need to solve an equation at point 6 because the concentration is already
specified. Thus,
𝐶6 = 0
At all other node points, we can approximate the second derivative by:
𝜕 2 𝐶𝑛 𝐶𝑛+1 − 2𝐶𝑛 + 𝐶𝑛−1
≈
𝜕𝑥 2 Δ𝑥 2
Therefore, our governing equations are as follows.
Node 1:
𝐶1 = 0.03
Node n = 2 to 5:
𝜕𝐶 𝐶𝑛+1 − 2𝐶𝑛 + 𝐶𝑛−1
=𝐷 − 𝑘𝐶𝑛
𝜕𝑡 Δ𝑥 2
Node 6:
C6 = 0

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