BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

Department of Chemical Engineering

First Semester 2023-2024

CHE F312 Chemical Engineering Laboratory-1
Laboratory Report

Name of TA and Signature:

Submission Date:

Group Number:

Name ID Signature

ANUBHAV SABHARWAL 2020B2A11944P

ARYAN VERMA 2020B5A10678P

YASH CHAUHAN 2020B5A10688P

JAI BHAMMBHANI 2021A1PS1494P

A SAI PUVIIYARASU 2021A1PS2594P

RAJATH RAJESH 2021A1PS2117P

Experiment No: 12
Experiment Name: VAPOR IN AIR DIFFUSION

EXPERIMENT 12
VAPOR IN AIR DIFFUSION

1. Aim
To determine the diffusion coefficient of acetone (liquid) in air by
using Arnold's cell.

Page 1 of 7
 2. Observations

Table 1:

S.No Time ( min) Height (mm) Temperature

(°C)

1 0 ( initial ) 151.0 27

2 30 125.4 37

3 60 124.1 47

4 90 122.5 52

Table 2: Given Data

Atmospheric Pressure (N/m2) 101325

Universal gas constant, R 8.314

(J/mol K)

Experiment Temp, T(K) 318

Density of Acetone(Kg/m3) 790

Mol. Wt of acetone(Kg/kmol) 58.08

Antoine Constant, A 16.6513

Antoine Constant, B 2940.46

Antoine Constant, C -35.93

3. Sample Calculation:
For Temp T=3000 K
𝐵
Log10 P sat = A - 𝑇(𝐾) + 𝐶

2940.46
Log10 Psat = 16.6513 - 3000−35.93

Page 2 of 7
Log10 Psat = 5.51
Psat = 248.6749053 mm Hg
PA1= 33156.32247N/m2
PB1= P- PA1= 101325 - 33156.32247= 68168.67753 N/m2
PA2= 0 ( pure air is flowing)
PB2= P- PA2 = P-0 =P= 101325 N/ m2

PBLM= 83654.57518

Here, Zi , Zf are the initial and the final length of tube measured in m2 respectively, ,

𝐾𝑔
101.325 (𝐾𝑃𝑎) 33156.32247 (𝐾𝑃𝑎) 790( 𝑚3 )
DAB x 𝐾𝑃𝑎. 𝑚3 X 83654.57518 ( 𝐾𝑃𝑎)
x 30 x 60 ( sec) = 2 𝑥 58.08 ( 𝐾𝑔)
(0.1512-
8.314 ( 𝐾𝑚𝑜𝑙. 𝐾
) 303.15 𝐾
2 2
0.139 ) ( m )

DAB = 0.3059 x 10 -7 m2 /sec

Page 3 of 7
Result and Discussion:

Conclusion Table:

S.No Initial height Final Time(min) Temperatu DAB(m2/s)

(m) height(m) re (K)

1 0.151 0.139 30 300 0.3059 x

10 -7 m2
/sec

2 0.151 0.135 45 310 0.22831 x

10 -7 m2
/sec

3 0.151 0 .12 60 320 0.21758 x

10 -7 m2 /s

Average DAB 0.2505 x 10 -7

Page 4 of 7
 Theoretical DAB will be calculated using Gilliland Equation, where

VA = Molar volume of acetone = 0.0074 m3/kmol

VB = Molar volume of air = 0.01386 m3/kmol
MA = Molecular weight of acetone = 58 kg/kmol
MB = Molecular weight of air = 18 kg/kmol
T = Absolute temperature = 300 0 K

Average DAB =0.30489*10-7 m2/s (experimental value)

Theoretical DAB = 0.2505*10- 7m2/s

The diffusivity should change with the change in temperature but as depicted in the graph as
temperature is constant , the value of diffusivity is also almost constant, the change is very
small. As the temperature increases, according to the kinetic theory of gases, velocity should
increase thus, increasing diffusivity.

Conclusion and Understanding

1. We can observe that the values of both the experimental and the theoretical Diffusion
coefficients are very low. The reason for this is that in the given experiment mostly
the molecular diffusion takes place which is a very slow process.

2. We can explain the difference in experimental and theoretical values of Diffusion

coefficients using the following points :

❖ In our experiment we assume that the diffusion process occurs in a steady state
condition, but in reality it is very difficult to obtain such condition.

Page 5 of 7
❖ The Antoine equation does not provide us the exact value of the vapor pressure, Psat,
which can induce errors in further calculations such as calculation of experimental
DAB.
❖ We can observe that the Diffusion coefficient increases slightly as we increase the
temperature which is in accordance with the kinetic theory of gasses which says that
with increase in temperature, velocity should increase, thereby, increasing the
diffusivity

Source of Error

The large error can be because the theoretical diffusivity is calculated using
empirical
relation which might be have large error due to its inherent assumptions

% error in the experimental value:

error= Dexperimental - Dtheoritcal / Dexperimental l x 100

error= 17.71 %

Page 6 of 7
Page 7 of 7