Introduction to Chemical Engineering

UNIT-VI
Mass Transfer
Introduction:
Mass transfer is a transport of components under a chemical potential
gradient. The component moves to the direction of reducing
concentration gradient. The transport occurs from a region of higher
concentration to lower concentration. Equilibrium is reached when the
gradient is zero. The transport or migration of one constituent from a
region of higher concentration to that of a lower concentration is known
as mass transfer.
Mass transfer operation plays an important role in many industrial
processes. A group of operations for separating the components of
mixtures is based on the transfer of material from one homogeneous
phase to another. These methods is covered by the term mass transfer
operations which include techniques like gas absorption and stripping,
liquid-liquid extraction, leaching, distillation, humidification, drying,
crystallization and number of other separation techniques.
Concentration:
 The concentration of particular species is expressed in variety
of ways. In mass transfer operation, the concentration gradient
is the driving force when other driving forces (temperature,
pressure gradients, etc.) are kept constant.
The concentration gradients are generally expressed in terms of
For Gases: Partial Pressure of component, molar
concentration of component and mass or mole fraction of
species.
For Liquids: Molar concentration of component, mass
concentration of component and mass or mole fraction of
species.
Gases:
Molar Concentration
The molar concentration of component is denoted by
Ci. It is defined as moles of ith component per unit
volume of mixture. The total concentration in the
system can be obtained by sum up all molar
concentrations for all species which can be
represented as
The Flux is defined as the rate of transport of species per unit area
in a direction normal to the transport.
Molar Flux:
The molar flux of A for binary gas mixture of A& B is
as
STEADY STATE MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN FLUIDS UNDER
STAGNANT AND LAMINAR FLOW CONDITIONS
It has two cases for binary mixture having components
of A and B
1) Steady state Equimolar counter diffusion of A
and B
2) Steady State diffusion of A through non-
diffusing B or Stagnant B
Steady State Equimolar Counter Diffusion
for Gases :
Problem :
Solution:
Problem 2:
Methane diffuses at steady state through a tube
containing helium. At point1, the partial pressure of
methane is 55 kPa and at point 2 which is 0.03 m apart
is 15 kPa. The total pressure is 101.32 kPa and the
temperature is 298 K. At this pressure and
temperature, the value of diffusivity is 6.75 x 10-5 m2/s.
Calculate the flux of methane at steady state for
equimolar counter diffusion.
Steady State diffusion of A through non- diffusing
B or Stagnant B of Gaseous Mixture:
Problem 3:
Ammonia gas (A) diffuses through nitrogen gas (B) under
steady state conditions with nitrogen non-diffusing. The
total pressure is 1.013 x 105 Pa and the temperature is 298 K.
The diffusion path is 0.15 m. The partial pressure of NH 3 at
one point is 1.5 x 104 Pa and at the other point is 5 x 103 Pa.
The DAB for the mixture at 1.013 x 105 Pa and 298 K is 2.3 x 10-
5 m2/s

Calculate
1)The flux of NH3 and
2)The equimolar counter diffusion flux, assuming that N 2
also diffuses
Solution:
Diffusion in Liquids:
Steady State diffusion of A through non- diffusing
B or Stagnant B of Liquid Mixture

where
Problem 4:
Hydrochloric Acid (A) at 283 K diffuses through a thin
film of water (B) 4mm thick. The concentration of A at
location 1 on one boundary of the film is 12 weight %
(density = 1060.7 kg/m3) and on other boundary, at
location 2, is 4 weight % ( density is 1020.15 kg/m3).
The diffusivity of HCl in water is 2.5 x 10-9 m2/s.
calculate the flux of diffusion of A assuming water to
be stagnant. Molecular weight of HCl is 36.5 and water
is 18.
Solution:
Problem 5:
Calculate the rate of diffusion of acetic acid(Mol wt.
60) across a film of non diffusing water (Mol wt. 18) 1
mm thick at 290 K if the concentrations of acetic acid
on the opposite sides of the film are 9% and 3% by
weight respectively. The densities of 9% and 3%
solutions are 1012 and 1003.2 kg/m3 respectively. The
diffusivity of acetic acid in water is 0.95 x 10-9 m2/s.
Thank You