CHE 246

CHAPTER 1
MASS TRANSFER

By: Ms. Arbanah Muhammad

arbanah7188@johor.uitm.edu.my

1 CHE 246
 LEARNING OUTCOME
The student should be able to:
Define the following terms;
molecular diffusion, mass transfer
Define and explain the applications Ficks law
Compare and contrast molecular diffusion in gas, liquid and solid
Determine the flux/ diffusivity of substances in gas, liquid and solid.
Define and calculate the convective mass transfer of substances.
Explain the interphases mass transfer and calculate the flux and
concentration of substance at this interface layer.

2 CHE 246
 TOPICS
1. Introduction to mass transfer.
W1 2. Ficks law and molecular diffusion
3. Applications of Ficks law: diffusion through
stagnant film and equimolar counter diffusion
4. Molecular diffusion in gas, liquid and solid
W2 5. Convective mass transfer and mass transfer
coefficient
6. Interphase mass transfer

3 CHE 246
 Mass transfer is the net movement of a
component in a mixture from one
location to another where the
component exists at different
concentration

4 CHE 246
 INTRODUCTION TO MASS TRANSFER
General examples of mass transfer process :

5 CHE 246
 DIFFUSION
Species A moves from a region of high concentration to
the region of low concentration

6 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION

7 CHE 246
 Ficks Law: Molecular Diffusion
Molecular diffusion: The transfer or movement of individual
molecules through a fluid by means of the random, individual
movement. Applied when the whole bulk fluid is not moving and
diffusion of the molecules is due to a concentration gradient.

8 CHE 246
 FICKS LAW FOR MOLECULAR DIFFUSION
General Ficks law equation can be written as follows for binary mixture of A and B:

dx A dc A
J *
AZ cD AB J *
AZ DAB
dz dz

Where
JAZ = molar flux of component A in the z
direction (kgmol/sm2)
c = total concentration (kgmol/m3)
cA = concentration of A (kgmol/m3)
xA = mol fraction of A
DAB = the molecular diffusivity of the
molecule A in B (m2/s)
z = distance of diffusion (m)
9 CHE 246
 FICKS LAW FOR STEADY STATE DIFFUSION OF
A BINARY MIXTURE OF A AND B
For Gas Phase:
dx A
J AZ cDAB In term of partial pressure
dz PV=nRT
P/RT=n/V=c
d (C A ) pA1/RT = cA1
J AZ DAB
dz
c A1 c A 2
cA2 J AZ D AB
z 2 z1
dc A

J AZ D AB
c A1
zA2 D AB p p A2
J AZ . A1
dz z 2 z1 RT

z A1

DAB p A1 p A2
c A 2 c A1 J AZ
J AZ DAB z2 z1 RT
z 2 z1
10 CHE 246
 EXAMPLE 6.1-1
A mixture of He and N2 gas is contained in a pipe at 298 K and
1 atm total pressure which constant throughout. At the end of
the pipe at point 1 the partial pressure pA1 of He is 0.6 atm and
at the other end 0.2 m, pA2=0.2 atm. Calculate the flux of He
at steady state if DAB of He-N2 mixture is 0.687x10- 4m2/s.
Used R=82.06x10-3 m3.atm/(kgmol.K)

Answer: 5.63 x 10-6 kgmol A / sm2

11 CHE 246
 CHE 246
NEXT: TUTORIAL
12
 Type 1:

Molecular Diffusion
Equimolar counterdiffusion

Gasses
Liquid
Solid
Type 2:
Diffusion of A through stagnant B
13 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN GASES

14 CHE 246
 EQUIMOLAR COUNTERDIFFUSION IN GASES
pA1 pA2
MOL A=
YELLOW
pB1 pB2
MOL B=
PURPLE PT1 PT2
JA
JB

pA1 > pA2 and pB2>p B1

J AZ J BZ DAB DBA

different in
PRESSURE/concentration
gradient
dc A dc
J AZ D AB J BZ ( DBA B )
dz dz
15 CHE 246
 EXAMPLE 6.2-1
Ammonia gas (A) is diffusing through a uniform tube 0.1 m long containing
N2 gas (B) at 1.0132 X 105 Pa pressure and 298 K. The concentration of
ammonia at point 1 is 10 mol% and at point 2 is 5 mol%. The diffusivity
DAB=0.230X10-4m2/s. Calculate the flux JA and JB.
Use R=8314 m3Pa/kg mol.K

Answer:
JA = 4.70 x 10-7 kgmol A / sm2
JB = -4.70 x 10-7 kg mol B / sm2

16 CHE 246
DIFFUSION PROCESS TOGETHER WITH CONVECTION
Up to now we consider Ficks Law for a diffusion in a stationary fluid; that is there has no net
movement or convective flow of the entire phase of the binary mixture A and B

Diffusion flux JA occurred because of the concentration gradient

JA (kg mol A/s.m2)= vAdCA
vAD = Diffusion velocity of A in m/s

Conversion to a velocity of diffusion;

JA (kg mol A/s.m2)= vAd CA m kgmolA

s m3
= vAd CA kgmolA

ms
2

17 CHE 246
DIFFUSION PROCESS TOGETHER WITH CONVECTION
Now let us consider what happens when the whole fluid is moving in bulk or convective
flow to the right. Component A still diffusing to the right, together with the
moving fluid.

vA Vm = velocity of the bulk relative to a stationary point

VAd = diffusion velocity of A relative to the moving fluid
VA = actual velocity of A relative to a stationary point
vAd vm

Then VA = VAd + Vm ..Eq. 1

CAvA=CAvAd + Cavm ..Eq.2

NA=JA + CAvm
Multiplying with CA ..Eq.3

total flux of A
convective flux of A
diffusion flux of A
18 CHE 246
 Let N be the total convective flux

N= cvm =NA + NB ..Eq.4 NA=JA + CAvm ..Eq.3

vm = (NA + NB )/c ..Eq.5

Substituting equation..5 into equation ..3

NA=JA + CA [(NA + NB )/c]

dx A
J AZ cDAB
dz

N A J A N A N B
cA Final equation for diffusion
plus convection to use when
c the total flux NA is used, which
is relative to a stationary point
N A N B
dx A c A
N A cDBA
dz c ..Eq.6

19 CHE 246
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN

NA AND JA ?
NA - flux of A relative to stationary fluid, consider a whole
system where there is a moving fluid

JA - flux of A that occurred because of the concentration

gradient, diffusion itself only

20 CHE 246
DIFFUSION THROUGH STAGNANT, NONDIFFUSING
B (GAS DIFFUSION)
- Diffusion of A through stagnant or nondiffusing B at steady state.
- One boundary at the end of diffusion path is impermeable to component B

Case 1: 1) Liquid benzene is stored in a long

tube, with one end of the tube
NB = 0
exposed to air.
2) The air inside the tube is
=0 stagnant, and benzene is
evaporating through this stagnant
air.
3) The diffusion path is from point 1 at
the gas-liquid interface to point 2 at
the edge of the tube, i.e. across the
distance ( z2 - z1 ).

21 CHE 246
 Case 2:
NB = 0 1) The ammonia diffuses through
the gas mixture from point 1 in
the bulk gas phase to point 2 at
the gas-liquid interface and
eventually is being absorbed
into water.
2) Air is assumed to be non-
soluble in water, hence it does
not diffuse, i.e. it is the non-
diffusing component.
3) The diffusion path is the
distance ( z2 - z1 ).

22 CHE 246
 cA
NA JA N A N B
c Eq.7
dx c
N A cD BA A A N A 0 Eq.8
dz c
Substituting c=P/RT, pA=xAP and cA/c=pA/P into Eq. 8
DAB dp A p A
NA NA Eq.9
RT dz P
Rearranging and integrating
DAB P P p A2 Eq.10
NA ln
RT ( z 2 z1 ) P p A1

Eq .10 is the final equation to calculated the flux of A. It is often written in another form

P p A1 pB1 Eq.11
NA
DAB P
p A1 p A2
RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM
P p A2 pB 2
Where pB 2 p B1 p A1 p A 2
pBM Eq.12
23 CHE 246 ln( p B 2 / p B1 ) ln[ ( P p A 2 ) ]
( P p A1 )
 cA
NA JA N A N B
c
dx c
N A cD BA A A N A 0
z2 DAB p A 2 1
N A dz
dz c
Substituting c=P/RT, pA=xAP and dp A
z1 RT p A1 1 p A
cA/c=pA/P into Eq. 8

P

x1 ax b a lnax b
DAB dp A p A x2 dx 1
NA NA
RT dz P
pA DAB dp A DAB P P p A2
NA NA N A z2 z1 ln
P RT dz RT P p A1
pA DAB dp A P p A2
N A 1 DAB P
P NA ln
RT z2 z1 P p A1
RT dz

24 CHE 246
 Molecular Diffusion of Gas
CASE 1: Equimolar Counterdiffusion

J AZ cD AB
x A1 x A 2 c A1 c A 2 DAB p A1 p A2
J AZ D AB J AZ
z 2 z1 z 2 z1 z2 z1 RT

CASE 2: Diffusion through stagnant, non-diffusing B

NA
DAB P
p A1 p A2
RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM

DAB P P p A2
NA ln
RT ( z 2 z1 ) P p A1
25 CHE 246
 EXAMPLE 6.2-2
Water in the bottom of narrow metal tube is held at a constant temperature of 293 K.
The total pressure of air is 1.01325 X 105 Pa and the temperature is 293 K. Water
evaporates and diffuses through the air in the tube and the diffusion path z2-z1 is
0.1524m long. Diffusivity is 0.25 X 10-4 m2/s. Vapor pressure of water at 293 K is
2.341 X 103Pa. Calculate the rate of evaporation.
Use R = 8314.34 m3Pa/kgmolK

Answer: 1.595 x 10-7 kgmol / sm2

26 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN LIQUIDS

27 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN LIQUIDS
Example diffusion of solutes in liquid:

Liquid-liquid extraction
Gas absorption
Oxygenation of rivers by the air

Since the molecules in a liquid are packed together much more closely than in gases,
the density and the resistance to diffusion in liquid much greater flux in
liquid is lower than flux in a gas

Difference of diffusion in gases with diffusion in liquid

Diffusion in liquid often quite dependent on concentration of the diffusing
components.
28 CHE 246
 Liquid-liquid extraction

29 CHE 246
30 CHE 246
 EQUIMOLAR COUNTERDIFFUSION IN
LIQUID DIFFUSION
Starting from general equation N cD
dx
A
dz

c
c
N N
BA
A A
A B

For equimolar counter diffusion NA=-NB then the equation become

dx A c A1 c A 2
N A cDBA N A D AB
dz z 2 z1

c A1 c A 2 DABcav x A1 x A 2
N A DAB
z 2 z1 z 2 z1
where
Diffusion in liquid often
1 2
cav 2 quite dependent on
M av M 1 M 2 concentration of the
diffusing components
31 CHE 246
 DIFFUSION OF A THROUGH NONDIFFUSING B IN
LIQUID DIFFUSION
Example
Propionic acid (A) in water (B) solution
being contact with toulene

Only propionic acid (A) diffuses through water phase, to the boundary and then into
toulene phase
The toulene water is a barrier to diffusion of B and NB = 0
Diffusion in gases
DABcav x x A2
NA ln DAB P P p A2
( z2 z1 ) x x A1 NA ln
RT ( z 2 z1 ) P p A1
NA
DABcav
x A1 x A2
( z 2 z1 ) xBM NA
DAB P
p A1 p A2
where RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM
xB 2 xB1
xBM 1 for dilute solution
ln xB 2 xB1 1 / M 1 2 / M 2
32 CHE 246 cav
2
 Molecular Diffusion of Liquid
CASE 1: Equimolar CASE 2: Diffusion through
Counterdiffusion stagnant, non-diffusing B
D AB
NA c A1 c A 2
x A1 x A 2 (z 2 z 1 ) x BM
N A c avg D AB
z 2 z1
D AB c av
NA x A1 x A 2
c A1 c A 2 (z 2 z1 ) x BM
N A D AB
z 2 z1
DABcav x x A2
NA ln
( z2 z1 ) x x A1

33 CHE 246
 Example 6.3-1
An ethanol (A)-water (B) solution in the form of a stagnant film 2.0 mm
thick at 293 K is in contact at one surface with an organic solvent in which
ethanol is soluble and water insoluble. At point 1 the concentration of
ethanol is 16.8 wt% and the solution density is 1 = 972.8 kg/m3. At point
2 the concentration of ethanol is 6.8 wt% and the solution density is 2 =
988.1 kg/m3. The diffusivity of ethanol 0.74 X 10-9 m2/s. Calculate the flux
of ethanol NA
Given:
MA = 46.05 kg/kmol
MB = 18.02 kg/kmol

Answer: 8.99 x 10-7 kgmol / sm2

34 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN SOLIDS

35 CHE 246
 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN SOLIDS
Diffusion of gases, liquid and solid in solids are generally slower than rates in
liquids and gases.

Example:
The diffusion of phosphorus and boron into silicon
Diffusion of nitrogen or hydrogen in to the rubber
Diffusion of water into foodstuffs
Reaction process, diffusion of solution into the catalyst

There are two types of diffusion in solid :

Diffusion in solid following Ficks law (ideal case)
Diffusion in solids does not depend on the actual structure of the solid
Diffusion in porous solid where the actual structure and void channels are
important.
36 CHE 246
 Diffusion in Solid Following Ficks law
Does not depend on the actual structure of the solid.
The diffusion occur when the fluid or solute diffusing actually dissolve in the
solid to form a homogeneous solution.
Using the general equation

dx A c A
N A cD BA N A N B
dz c
The bulk-flow term, CA/CB(NA+NB) is usually small, hence it is neglected
Giving diffusion in solids

dx A
N A cD BA
dz
dC A
N A D BA
dz
C CA2
N A D BA A1
z 2 z1
37 CHE 246
 Diffusion in Solid Following Ficks law
The solubility of a solute gas (A) in a solid is usually expressed as S

solute m 3 (STP at 1atm and 0 o C)

s
solid m 3 atm

To convert this to CA concentration in the solid kgmolA/m3

1
cA s x pA x
22.414
solute m 3 (STP at 1atm and 0 o C) kgmolA
x atm x
solid m 3 atm 22.414m 3 (STP )
kgmolA
3
m solid

38 CHE 246
 Example 6.5-1

The gas hydrogen at 17oC and 0.01 atm partial pressure is diffusing
through a membrane of vulcanized neoprene rubber 0.5 mm thick. The
pressure of H2 on the other side of the neoprene is zero. Calculate the
steady-state flux , assuming that the only resistance to diffusion is in the
membrane. The solubility S of H2 gas in neoprene at 17oC is 0.051 m3 (at
STP of 0oC and 1 atm)/m3.atm and the diffusivity DAB is 1.03 x 10-10 m2/s at
17oC.
Ans: NA=4.69 x 10-12 kg mol H2/s.m2

39 CHE 246
 MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

40 CHE 246
 MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT
Ficks Law for steady state diffusion of a binary mixture A and B, written as:

dx A
J A cDAB
dz
Also be written in
JA
DAB
c A1 c A2
z 2 z1

The value of z2-z1 the distance of the path, is often not known, hence the above
equation simplified and written using a convective mass transfer coefficient kc'

J A kc' c A1 c A 2

kc'=constant,
kc=DAB/dz
CHE 246
Known as mass transfer coefficient
41
 MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT FOR EQUIMOLAR
COUNTERDIFFUSION
Equation for mass transfer :
N A kc' c A1 c A2
In liquid- the concentration in terms of mole fraction
In gases partial pressure

Hence the mass transfer coefficient can be define in several ways equation.
If yA is mole fraction in a gas phase and xA in a liquid phase, then the equation can be
written as follows

N A kc' c A1 c A2 k L' c A1 c A2 k x' x A1 x A2

N A kc' cA1 cA2 kG' pA1 pA2 k y' y A1 y A2

42 CHE 246
 MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT FOR EQUIMOLAR
COUNTERDIFFUSION
All of these mass-transfer coefficients can be related to each other. For example
Substituting yA1=cA1/c and yA2=cA2/c into the equation

'
' c A1 c A2 k y
N A kc c A1 c A2 k y y A1 y A2 k y c A1 c A2
' '

c c c

k y'
k c'
c

43 CHE 246
 MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT FOR A DIFFUSING
THROUGH STAGNANT, NONDIFFUSING B
kc'
NA c A1 c A2 kc c A1 c A2 xB 2 xB1
xBM xBM
where ln( xB 2 / xB1 )
k x'
x A1 x A2 k x x A1 x A2
xBM

Gases: N A kc cA1 cA2 kG pA1 pA2 k y y A1 y A2

Liquids: N A kc c A1 c A2 k L c A1 c A2 k x x A1 x A2
kc' c A1 c A2
NA c A1 c A2 k x x A1 x A2 k x
xBM c c

kc' kx Refer Table 7.2-1

Hence
xBM c
44 CHE 246
45 CHE 246
 EXAMPLE 7.2-1
A large volume of pure B at 2 atm pressure is flowing over a surface from which pure A is
vaporizing. The liquid A completely wets the surface, which is a blotting paper. Hence the
partial pressure of A at the surface is the vapor pressure at 298 K, which is 0.2 atm. The ky
has been estimated to be 6.78 X 10-5 kgmol/s.m2.mol frac. Calculate NA,the vaporization
rate, ky and kG.

Answer: 7.138 x 10-6 kgmol / sm2

46 CHE 246
 CONCLUSION

47 CHE 246
 Diffusion in Gases Diffusion in liquid
CASE 1 CASE 1
Equimolar Counterdiffusion Equimolar Counterdiffusion

J AZ cD AB
x A1 x A 2 x A1 x A 2
N A c avg D AB
z 2 z1 z 2 z1
c A1 c A 2 c A1 c A 2
J AZ D AB N A D AB
z 2 z1 z 2 z1

J AZ

DAB p A1 p A2
z2 z1 RT

48 CHE 246
 Diffusion in Gases Diffusion in liquid

CASE 2 CASE 2
Diffusion through stagnant, Diffusion through stagnant,
nondiffusing B nondiffusing B

D AB
NA c A1 c A 2
(z 2 z 1 ) x BM
NA
DAB P
p A1 p A2
RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM
D AB c av
NA x A1 x A 2
(z 2 z1 ) x BM

DAB P P p A2 x x A2
NA ln NA
DABcav
ln
RT ( z 2 z1 ) P p A1
( z2 z1 ) x x A1

49 CHE 246