Diffusion in 1

demension
Steady State Diffusion in One dimension
2
 Assume that mass transfer is only by diffusion
OR

 Equation can be integrated over various geometries.

 Define , A = area of mass transfer.

 Steady State 3
 For plane wall (or thin film) of thickness becomes;

Equation can be written as

 Steady State 4
 Hollow cylinder of minor radius and outer radius with
diffusion in the radial direction.
, A=2rL, L= length of hollow cylinder.
Steady State 5

; log mean average of 2rl at

 Steady State 6
 Spherical shell of inner radius and outer radius , diffusion in
the radial outward direction.
 Unsteady State
7

Accumulation of species A in control volume is

 Material Balance
8
Rate in – rate out = accumulation

+ =

=
In the limit, as

= (Fick’s second law in one dimension)

Material Balances 9

In 3 dimensions,

=
 Material Balances 10

Cylindrical Coordinates

Spherical Coordinates

=
 Semi-infinite medium
11
Z=0

Z=
∞
At
At , surface of the semi-infinite medium at Z=0 is
instantaneously brought to and held there for

As for all
 Semi-infinite medium 12

Summary of BCs
 Semi-infinite medium
13

Solution
Define a new variable
Consider =
Can be written as;
=

= 0 (ordinary differential equation)

 Boundary Conditions
14

a is a constant

To solve, put
 Solution 15
(b is constant)

At
Note
Solution 16

CAS

t3

t1 t2

CA0
Z
 Solution 17

By Fick’s Law;
To differentiate erf
Put

=
=
=
At z = 0
Medium with finite thickness 18

 Assume diffusion only in the z-direction

 Initial uniform conc is CA0
 At t =0, the two edges are brought to and held at conc
CAS>CA0
 Other boundary condition

 at z=0 (symmetry)
 19

 Solution