Understanding Mass Transfer

Mass transfer describes the transport of mass from one point to another and is one of the main

pillars in the subject of Transport Phenomena. Mass transfer may take place in a single phase or

over phase boundaries in multiphase systems. In the vast majority of engineering problems, mass

transfer involves at least one fluid phase (gas or liquid), although it may also be described in solid-

phase materials.

In many cases, the mass transfer of species takes place together with chemical reactions. This

implies that flux of a chemical species does not have to be conserved in a volume element, since

chemical species may be produced or consumed in such an element. The chemical reactions are

sources or sinks in such flux balances.

The theory of mass transfer allows for the computation of mass flux in a system and the distribution

of the mass of different species over time and space in such a system, also when chemical reactions

are present. The purpose of such computations is to understand, and possibly design or control,

such a system.

Reference: https://www.comsol.com/multiphysics/what-is-mass-transfer