Mass Transfer

Mass transfer occurs when a component in a

mixture goes from one point to another.

Mass transfer can occur by

either diffusion or convection.

Diffusion is the mass transfer in a stationary

solid or fluid under a concentration gradient.
Convection is the mass transfer between a
boundary surface and a moving fluid or between
relatively immiscible moving fluids.
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24 May 2010
 Example of Mass Transfer
Mass transfer can occur
by either diffusion or
by convection.
Stirring the
water with a
spoon creates
forced
convection.

That helps the

sugar
molecules to
transfer to the
Diffusion bulk water
(slower)
R. Shanthini much faster.
24 May 2010
 Example of Mass Transfer
Mass transfer can occur
by either diffusion or
by convection.
Stirring the
water with a
spoon creates
forced
convection.

That helps the

sugar
molecules to
transfer to the
Diffusion Convection bulk water
(slower) (faster)
R. Shanthini much faster.
24 May 2010
 Example of Mass Transfer
At the surface of the lung:

Air Blood
Oxygen

High oxygen concentration Low oxygen concentration

Low carbon dioxide concentration High carbon dioxide concentration

Carbon dioxide
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24 May 2010
 Diffusion

Diffusion (also known as molecular diffusion)

is a net transport of molecules
from a region of higher concentration
to a region of lower concentration
by random molecular motion.

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24 May 2010
 Diffusion
A B Liquids A and B are separated from each other.

Separation removed.

A goes from high concentration of A to low

A B concentration of A.
B goes from high concentration of B to low
concentration of B.

Molecules of A and B are uniformly distributed

everywhere in the vessel purely due to the
DIFFUSION.
R. Shanthini
24 May 2010
 Examples of Diffusion
• Scale of mixing:
Mixing on a molecular scale relies on diffusion as the final
step in mixing process because of the smallest eddy size

• Solid-phase reaction:
The only mechanism for intra particle mass transfer is
molecular diffusion

• Mass transfer across a phase boundary:

Oxygen transfer from gas bubble to fermentation broth;
Penicillin recovery from aqueous to organic liquid

R. Shanthini
24 May 2010
 Fick’s Law of Diffusion

ΔCA
JA = -D
DABAB
Δx

CA A&B

JA
CA + ΔCA
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24 May 2010 Δx
 Fick’s Law of Diffusion

ΔCA
JA = -DAB concentration
Δx gradient
(mass per volume per
distance)

diffusion coefficient
(or diffusivity) of A in B

diffusion flux of A in relation to

the bulk motion in x-direction
(mass per area per time)

R. Shanthini What is the unit of diffusivity?

24 May 2010
Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction
.
Q ΔT
= -k Temperature gradient
A Δx (temperature per
distance)

Thermal conductivity

Describe the
Heat flux
(Energy per area per time) similarities between
Fick’s Law and
Fourier’s Law
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24 May 2010
 Diffusivity
For ions (dissolved matter) in dilute aqueous solution
at room temperature:
D ≈ 0.6 to 2 x10-9 m2/s
For biological molecules in dilute aqueous solution at
room temperature:
D ≈ 10-11 to 10-10 m2/s
For gases in air at 1 atm and at room temperature:
D ≈ 10-6 to x10-5 m2/s

Diffusivity depends on the type of solute, type of

solvent, temperature, pressure, solution phase
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(gas, liquid or solid) and other characteristics.
24 May 2010
Prediction of Binary Gas Diffusivity

DAB - diffusivity in cm2/s

P - absolute pressure in atm
Mi - molecular weight
T - temperature in K
Vi - sum of the diffusion volume for component i

DAB is proportional to 1/P and T1.75

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24 May 2010
Prediction of Binary Gas Diffusivity

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24 May 2010
 Prediction of Diffusivity in Liquids
For very large spherical molecules (A) of 1000 molecular
weight or greater diffusing in a liquid solvent (B) of small
molecules:
9.96 x 10-12 T
DAB = applicable
μ VA1/3 for biological
solutes such
DAB - diffusivity in cm2/s as proteins
T - temperature in K
μ - viscosity of solution in kg/m s
VA - solute molar volume at its normal boiling point
in m3/kmol

R. Shanthini DAB is proportional to 1/μ and T

24 May 2010
 Prediction of Diffusivity in Liquids
For smaller molecules (A) diffusing in a dilute liquid solution of
solvent (B):
1.173 x 10-12 (Φ MB)1/2 T
DAB =
μB VA0.6 applicable
DAB - diffusivity in cm2/s for biological
MB - molecular weight of solvent B solutes
T - temperature in K
μ - viscosity of solvent B in kg/m s
VA - solute molar volume at its normal boiling point in m3/kmol
Φ - association parameter of the solvent, which 2.6 for water,
1.9 for methanol, 1.5 for ethanol, and so on
R. Shanthini DAB is proportional to 1/μB and T
24 May 2010
Prediction of Diffusivity of Electrolytes in Liquids
For smaller molecules (A) diffusing in a dilute liquid solution of
solvent (B):
8.928 x 10-10 T (1/n+ + 1/n-)
DoAB =
(1/λ+ + 1/ λ-)
DoAB is diffusivity in cm2/s
n+ is the valence of cation
n- is the valence of anion
λ+ and λ- are the limiting ionic conductances in very dilute
solutions
T is 298.2 when using the above at 25oC

R. Shanthini DAB is proportional to T

24 May 2010
 Fick’s First Law of Diffusion (again)
∆CA JA is the diffusion flux of A in
JA = - DAB relation to the bulk motion in
∆x x-direction

If circulating currents or eddies are present

(which will always be present), then

∆C A
NA = - (D + ED)
∆x
where ED is the eddy diffusivity, and
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24 May 2010
is dependent on the flow pattern
Microscopic (or Fick’s Law) approach:

∆CA
JA = - D
∆x

Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

NA = - k ΔCA

where k is known as the mass transfer coefficient

R. Shanthini
24 May 2010
Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

is used when the mass

NA = - k ΔCA transfer is caused by
molecular diffusion plus
other mechanisms such
as convection.

R. Shanthini
24 May 2010
Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

NA = - k ΔCA
concentration
difference
(mass per volume)
mass transfer coefficient

net mass flux of A

(mass per area per time)

What is the unit of k?

R. Shanthini
24 May 2010
 Newton’s Law of Cooling in
Convective Heat Transfer
Flowing fluid at Tfluid
Heated surface at Tsurface

.
Qconv.
= h (Tsurface – Tfluid)
A

convective heat flux temperature

(energy per area per time) difference

R. Shanthini Heat transfer coefficient

24 May 2010
 Describe the similarities between the
convective heat transfer equation and the
macroscopic approach to mass transfer.

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24 May 2010
Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

NA = -k ΔCA = k (CA1 – C A2 )

CA1 A&B

NA
CA2
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24 May 2010
Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

NA = -k ΔCA = k (CA1 – C A2 )

CA1 = PA1 / RT
CA2 = PA2 / RT CA1 A&B

NA
CA2
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24 May 2010
Macroscopic (or mass transfer coefficient) approach:

NA = k (PA1 – P A2 ) / R T

PA1 A&B

NA
PA2
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24 May 2010