NPTEL – Chemical – Mass Transfer Operation 1

Assignment and Short type questions

Module 2: Diffusion

Assignment Problems:

Assignment Problem 2.1: NH3 is being absorbed from an NH3 (A)-air (B)
mixture in H2SO4. The concentration of NH3 in the air, 10 mm from the acid
surface is 40% by volume and that at the acid surface is negligible. The total
pressure in the system is 400 mm Hg and temperature is 27 0C. Calculate (a) the
rate of absorption of NH3 across 0.1 m2 gas liquid contact area, (b) the partial
pressure gradient of NH3 at 4 mm from the acid surface, (c) the rate of mass
transfer of NH3 by molecular transport and that by bulk flow at the acid side end
of the film, and (d) the rate of mass transfer of NH3 by molecular transport and
that by bulk flow at the gas side end of the film. Given: (DAB×P)/T1.5=Constant;
DAB of NH3 at 1 atm. and 600C is 2.53×10-5 m2/s.
Ans: (a) 4.486×10-6 kmol/s; (b) 21.92 atm/m; (c) 4.486×10-5 kmol/ m2s; and 0
(d) 2.69×10-5 kmol/m2s and 1.79×10-5 kmol/m2s

Assignment Problem 2.2: Equimolar counter-diffusion of A and B occurs

between points 1 (yA1=0.3) and 2 (yA2=0.1) through a distance of 1 cm. Total
pressure is 1 atm, temperature is 250C and diffusivity is 0.2 cm2/s. What is the
“diffusion velocity” of „A‟ halfway in the diffusion path?
Ans: 2 mm/s

Assignment Problem 2.3: A mixture of C6H6 (A) and C6H5Cl (B) is being
separated by fractional distillation. If molar latent heats of vaporization are 94.0
and 78.0 K Cal/kg, respectively, for C6H6 and C6H5Cl, value of NA/NB is ______
across the vapor film.
Ans: -0.83

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NPTEL – Chemical – Mass Transfer Operation 1

Short type questions:

1. At low solute concentration, during mass transfer from a sphere to a stagnant
liquid, prove that Sherwood number, Sh = 2.
2. How does the liquid-phase diffusivity of a solute depend upon the temperature
and viscosity of the medium?
DAB  T
Ans: According Stokes-Einstein Equation  Constant , hence, DAB 
T 
3. How does mass transfer coefficient vary with diffusivity according to film theory
and penetration theory?
Ans: Film Theory: k L  D AB

Penetration Theory: k L  D AB

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