TUTORIAL 1

PRINCIPLES OF MASS TRANSFER

1. The gas CO2 is diffusing at steady state through a tube 0.20 m long containing N2 at 298
K. The total pressure is constant at 101.32 kPa. The partial pressure of CO2 at one end is
456 mm Hg and 76 mm Hg at the other end. The diffusivity coefficient is 1.67x10-5 m2/s
at 298 K. Calculate the flux of CO2 for equimolar counter diffusion.

2. In a gas mixture of CO2 and H2, steady state equimolar counter diffusion is occurring at a
total pressure of 100 kPa and temperature of 20 C. If the partial pressures of CO2 at two
planes 0.01 m apart, and perpendicular to the direction of diffusion are 15 kPa and 5 kPa,
respectively and the mass diffusion flux of hydrogen in the mixture is -1.6x10–5
kgmol/m2.sec, calculate the diffusivity coefficient for the system.

3. Ammonia gas (A) and nitrogen gas (B) are diffusing in equimolar counter diffusion through
a straight glass tube 2.0 ft at 298 K and 101.32 kPa. Both ends of the tube are connected to
large mixed chambers. The partial pressure of NH3 in one chamber is constant at 20 kPa
and 6.666 kPa in other chamber. The diffusivity coefficient is 2.30x10-5 m2/s.

(a) Calculate the diffusion flux of NH3.

(b) Calculate the diffusion flux of N2.

(c) Calculate the partial pressures of NH3 at a point 1.0 ft in the tube.
4. Ammonia gas is diffusing through nitrogen gas under steady state conditions with N2
nondiffusing since it is insoluble in one boundary. The total pressure is 1.013 x 105 Pa and
the temperature is 298 K. The partial pressure of NH3 at one point is 1.333 x 104 Pa and at
the other point 20 m away it is 6.666 x 103 Pa. The diffusivity coefficient for the mixture
is 2.30 x 10-5 m2/s.

(a) Calculate the flux of NH3.

(b) Calculate the flux of NH3 if assume that N2 is also diffuses.

5. 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 is
insoluble. At Point 1 the concentration of ethanol is 16.8 wt % and the solution density is
972.8 kg/m3. At point 2, the concentration of ethanol is 6.8 wt % and the density is 988.1
kg/m3. The diffusivity constant of ethanol is 0.74x10-9 m2/s. Molecular weight of ethanol
and water are 46.05 kg/kgmole and 18.02 kg/kgmole respectively. Using 100 kg solution
as basis, calculate the steady state flux of ethanol.