Mass Transfer in Laminar

& Turbulent Flow

Mass Transfer Coefficients

25 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

Convective Heat & Mass Transfer
T T in bulk and Tw near wall, with q= rT Fouriers law requires us to resolve T.
a complicated T profile in between!
This, in turn, requires detailed knowledge
of u since it will cause non-trival T profiles.

Concept: if we only care about an overall q,
and not about T(z), then we can approximate:
Tw dT T1 Tw
qz = = h (Tw T1 )
dz `
Heat transfer coefficient, h, is empirical,
Note: h= only if T is linear. q h (Tw T1 ) and contains a lot of physics (must be
correlated for different situations).

x
JA = cA DAB rxA Ficks law requires us to resolve xA. This,
in turn, requires detailed knowledge of u
since it will cause non-trival x profiles.
Concept: if we only care about an overall JA,
xw and not about xA(z), then we can approximate:
x1 xw
JAz cDAB = kc (cAw cA1 )
`
Mass transfer coefficient, kc, is empirical,
Note: kc=DAB only if cA is linear. JA kc (cAw c A1 ) and contains a lot of physics (must be
correlated for different situations).

26 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 Mass vs. Heat Transfer
Ficks Law for a binary
Fouriers Law:
mixture of A and B:
molar diffusive flux relative
JA = cDAB rxA to a molar-averaged velocity q= krT
Only really valid for binary mixtures (2 species).
need a model for k. Dependent on
There are several diffusive fluxes, depending on the temperature, pressure & composition.

frame of reference that you choose (molar, mass)!
Heat can be transferred by radiation!
Need an appropriate choice for DAB. Dependent No analogous mechanism for mass
on temperature, pressure and (sometimes) (until you invent teleportation).

composition.
Heat can diffuse by other mechanisms
xA is not the only possible driving force for JA. as well. x can also cause heat
Could include other species (for more than 2 diffusion!
components) or even T and p! See SHR 3.8
for more information. Lots of cool physics here...

Convective mass transfer: Convective heat transfer:

JA = kc c A q=h T

27 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 SHR 3.5

Analogies in Diffusive Fluxes

Only gradients are in z-direction

ux z
No velocity (bulk flow) in z-direction

x Diffusion in z-direction

Constant properties (c, , , k, DAB, etc.)

x-momentum dux u2
f NStH =
NNu
=
h
=
h G=u
x
zx = NRe NPr Cp u
x Cp G mass velocity
diffusive flux dz 2
z=0
NSh kc kc See SHR Table 3.13 for
diffusive dT NStM = = = summary of some
heat flux
qz = k h(Ti T) NRe NSc u
x G dimensionless groups
dz z=0

diffusive dcA Reynolds analogy: (valid only when NPr = NSc = 1)

mass flux
J Az = DAB kc (cA cA ) f
dz z=0 = NStH = NStM f = Fanning friction factor
2

See equations (3-166)-

Chilton-Colburn analogy:
(3-171) in SHR f 2/3 2/3
jM = jH NStH NPr = jD NStM NSc
| {z 2} | {z } | {z }
heat mass
momentum

Other analogies also exist.

See SHR 3.5.3-3.5.4

28 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 Mass Transfer Coefficients
dxA
Ficks law: JA = cDAB
dz
dxA x A2 x A1 x A2 x A1
JA cDAB
dz ` `
cA
1
cA
2
`kc
ckc (xA1 x A2 ) NSh =
DAB
dcA is an appropriate
If kc is chosen just right then: JA = kc cA = DAB length scale
dz
z

The mass-transfer coefficient, kc

Approaches to get kc:

Units of length/time
If we can get an analytic solution
Analogous to the heat transfer coefficient: q = hT
for xA(z) then we can get an exact
Useful when we dont know (or want to know) xA(z).
form for kc using Ficks law.
(frequently not possible)

Need to choose kc just right to get the correct flux.

Often, kc is correlated with non-
kc=DAB/z is usually not even close (because xA is not dimensional groups like Reynolds
linear in general and z is typically not known).
number, Schmidt number and
Usually evaluated at one location (e.g. phase interface) Peclet number.

since JA might vary over z. Analogies with heat transfer.

29 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 Accounting for Bulk Flow
Examples:
NA = xA N + JA NB NA JA
Evaporation
NA =
Condensation
= xA (NA + NB ) + JA 1 xA
Absorption

Stripping @c
JA = kc c A = cDAB
@z
kc kc Note: k is just a
kc0 = = convenience definition.
1 xA xB

NA = kc0 cA

Typically, correlations give you k, not k.

For C > 2 components, this

gets much more complicated.
30 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014
 SHR 3.6

Two-Phase Mass
Transfer
Models for kc...
pA Phase equilibrium at gas-liquid interface to
relate pA to cA (discontinuity in mole fractions)

cAi
diffusion through a liquid film of thickness

cAb
well-mixed bulk region (fluid motion)

we want NA.
liquid
bulk

gas
film liquid
NA = JA = k c c A
z=0 z=
(no bulk flow)

31 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 SHR 3.6.1

Film Theory
Neglecting bulk flow Accounting for bulk flow
pA
dxA NA = xA (NA + NB ) +JA
cAi NA = JA = cDAB | {z }
dz N
cDAB dxA
cAb =
1 xA dz

liquid
bulk

Separate this ODE & integrate it to find xA(z).
gas
film liquid DAB cDAB 1 x Ab
z=0 z=
NA = (cAi cAb ) NA = ln
1 x Ai
c is constant

=
cDAB
(xAi xAb ) =
cDAB
(xAi xAb )
NA is constant with z.
(1 xA )LM
NB=0
x Ai x Ab
(1 xA )LM = = (xB )LM
ln [(1 xAb )/(1 xA )]
i

Force fit into form NA = kc (cAi cAb ) to find kc.

Film theory is often not DAB DAB kc
very accurate, but is kc = kc0 = =
(1 xA )LM (1 xA )LM
widely used nonetheless.

Since is unknown, kc is typically replaced by an empirical correlation.

32 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014
 SHR 3.6.2-3.6.3

Other models
Concept:

pA A pocket of fresh fluid arrives from the bulk to the film and stays there
cAi for some period of time, whereafter it is replaced by a new packet of
fresh fluid.

cAb Essentially diffusion into an infinite slab (but only for a short time tc).
We solved this problem already!
liquid
bulk
r
gas
film liquid Higbie Model: fluid parcels are DAB
z=0 z= replaced at uniform interval tc. kc = 2
tc
NA = kc (cAi c Ab ) Choosing tc:

Bubbles: ratio of bubble diameter to its relative velocity in the fluid

Droplets: residence time (assuming no internal circulation)

Packed tower: typically around 1s.

Correlations...?

Surface Renewal Model: old fluid parcels are p

more likely to be replaced than young parcels kc = DAB s
s - rate of surface renewal (1/sec)

(fraction of surface area replaced by fresh fluid in unit time)
It is difficult to determine s...

33 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 SHR 3.7

Two-Film Theory
Overall Mass Transfer Coefficients

idealized picture more realistic picture

34 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 Two-Film Theory
Assumptions & Formulation

No reaction.

Phase equilibrium at the interface & Henrys law applies.

This has the effect of being a contact resistance to mass
transfer (analog to heat transfer).

Henrys law implies a linear relationship between the gas &
liquid phases compositions. Typically only valid for small
ranges of xA or yA.

Bulk flow is negligible (NA = JA).

trace species diffusing (NA 0, NB = 0)

equimolar counterdiffusion (NA = -NB).

Constant total molar concentration, c.
e
t o e l iminat
i ne
Comb compositio
ns. p Ab H A c A b
Gas phase: NA = kp (pAb p Ai ) interfa
ce NA =
(HA/kp ) + (1/kc )
Liquid phase: NA = kc (cAi c Ab )
NA = KL (cA c Ab )
Phase Equil.: cAi = HA pAi overall mass
1 HA 1 transfer coefficient
pA = HA xA Several forms of +
KL kp kc based on liquid phase.
pA = cA/HA Henrys law exist:
distinguish by fictitious cA in
yA = H A x A units of HA. cA = HA pAb equilibrium with pAb.

35 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014

 Variations on the Theme
Liquid phase 1 HA 1
NA = KL (cA c Ab ) cA = HA pAb +
concentration KL kp kc

Gas phase c Ab 1 1 1
NA = KG (pAb pA ) pA = = +
concentration HA KG kp HA k C

y Ab 1 1 1
Liquid mole fraction NA = Kx (xA x Ab ) xA= Kx
=
KA k y
+
kx
KA
1 1 KA
Gas mole fraction = Ky (yAb yA ) yA = x Ab K A = +
Ky ky kx

KA is the K-value from y Ai

KA =
equilibrium thermo: x Ai

SI AE
k m/s ft/h
k kmol/(s-m lbmol/(h-ft
k kmol/(s-m lbmol/(h-ft
36 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014
 SHR 3.7.3

Large Driving Forces

NA = ky (yAb yAi ) = Ky (yAb yA )
= kx (xAi xAb ) = Kx (xA x Ab )

1 1 mx dyA
= +
Ky ky kx m=
dxA
1 1 1 mx
evaluate on
= +
Kx kx my ky the liquid side.

(or yA) across a phase, the
change in KA is important.
For large variation in xA

my
evaluate on
See derivation in SHR 3.7.3
the gas side.

Henrys law is
not valid here!

37 MassTransfer.key - January 31, 2014