2.

0 MOLECULAR DIFFUSION AND CONVECTIVE

MASS TRANSFER
RECAP:
Molecular Convective mass
diffusion transfer
Example A drop of dye into Dye in water is mixing by
stationary water a spoon

Flux ∗ 𝒅𝒙𝑨 𝑁𝐴 = 𝒌𝒄 𝑐𝐿1 − 𝑐𝐿𝑖

𝑱𝑨𝒛 = −𝒄𝑫𝑨𝑩
𝒅𝒛

𝑑𝑐𝐴
𝐽𝐴𝑧 ∗ = −𝑫𝑨𝑩
𝑑𝑧

Concentration gradient difference

Mostly slow process More rapid process
 2.1. MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN A GAS
2.1.1. Equimolar counter diffusion in gases
- Binary gas mixture
- Stationary fluid
- Total pressure is constant
- Net moles of A = Net moles of B
- 𝑐 = 𝑐𝐴 + 𝑐𝐵
- 𝑃 = 𝑝𝐴 + 𝑝𝐵
𝐽𝐴𝑍 ∗ = −𝐽𝐵𝑧 ∗
𝑑𝑐𝐴 𝑑𝑐𝐵
−𝐷𝐴𝐵 = −(−)𝐷𝐵𝐴
𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑧
Binary mixture of gases

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/chemistryformajorsxmaster/chapter/effusion-and-diffusion-of-gases-formulas/
 Diffusion of gases

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oLPBnhOCjM
2.1.2. General cases for diffusion of gases A and
B plus convection

- Whole fluid is moving in bulk

- 𝑁𝐴 (𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐴 𝑠 . 𝑚2 ) is the total (molar) flux of a
relative to the stationary point.

- Diffusion velocity is measured relative to the

moving fluid.
The molar flux (𝑵𝑨 ) :

𝑁𝐴 = 𝐽𝐴∗ + 𝑐𝐴 𝑣𝑀

General equation for diffusion plus convection for

flux (𝑁𝐴 ) :
𝑑𝑥𝐴 𝑐𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = −𝑐𝐷𝐴𝐵 + 𝑁𝐴 + 𝑁𝐵
𝑑𝑧 𝑐

For equimolar counterdiffusion,

𝑁𝐴 = −𝑁𝐵
EXAMPLE 2.1.1
The molar flux (𝑁𝐴 ) for binary system at contant
temperature and pressure is:
𝑑𝑐𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = − 𝐷𝐴𝐵 + 𝑥𝐴 𝑁𝐴 + 𝑁𝐵
𝑑𝑧
Develop the equation of molar flux for steady
state equimolar counterdiffusion.
2.1.3. Case for A diffusing through stagnant,
nondiffusing B

 Steady state
 Diffusion of A through nondiffusing B

 𝑁𝐵 = 0
𝒅𝒙𝑨 𝑐𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = −𝒄𝑫𝑨𝑩 + 𝑁𝐴 + 0
𝒅𝒛 𝑐
 Pressure is constant
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑃 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴2
𝑁𝐴 = ln
𝑅𝑇 𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴1
 Pressure is constant
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑃 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴2
𝑁𝐴 = ln
𝑅𝑇 𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴1

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑃
𝑁𝐴 = (𝑝𝐴1 − 𝑝𝐴2 )
𝑅𝑇 (𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )𝑝𝐵𝑀

where

𝑝𝐵2 − 𝑝𝐵1 𝑝𝐴1 − 𝑝𝐴2

𝑝𝐵𝑀 = 𝑝 =
𝑙𝑛 𝐵2 𝑝𝐵1 ln 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴2 / 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴1
Examples 2.1.2
Calculate the rate of diffusion of hidrogen (A)
through non diffuse methane (B) at 23𝑜 C and
total pressure at 101.3 kPa. The diffusion path is
3 mm long and concentration of hidrogen at two
end of path in term of partial pressure is 10 kPa
and 7.8 kPa, respectively. The diffusifity of
−5 𝑚2
hidrogen-methane is 6.6 𝑥 10 𝑠.
2.1.4. Diffusion of gas in multicomponent
mixtures
 Steady state
 Effective diffusivity of mixture 𝐷𝐴,𝑚 for replacing 𝐷𝐴𝐵
𝑛
 𝑖=𝐴 𝑁𝑖 is replacing 𝑁𝐴 + 𝑁𝐵

𝑁𝐴 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑛𝑖=𝐴 𝑁𝑖
𝐷𝐴,𝑚 =
𝑛 1
𝑖=𝐴 𝐷 𝑦𝑖 𝑁𝐴 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑁𝑖
𝐴𝑖
If one of component is stagnant, nondiffusing, then:

1
𝐷𝐴,𝑀 = 𝑦𝑖
𝑛
𝑖=𝐵 𝐷
𝐴𝑖
Example 2.1.3. (Treybal, Illustration. 2.1 )
Oxygen (A) is diffusing through carbon monoxide (B) under
steady state condition with the carbon monoxide
nondiffusing. The total pressure is 1 𝑥 105 and temperature
0𝑜 C. The partial pressure of oxygen at two planes 2.0 mm
apart is 13,000 and 6,500 N/𝑚2 , respectively. The
−5 𝑚2
diffusivity for the mixture is 1.87 x 10 𝑠
(a) Calculated the rate of diffusion of oxygen in kmol/s
through each square meter of the two planes
(b) Recalculate, assuming the nondiffusing gas is a mixture
of methane (B) and hydrogen (C) in the volume ratio 2:1.
The diffusivities are estimated to be :
2
𝐷𝑂2 −𝐻2 = 6.99 𝑥 10−5 , 𝐷𝑂2−𝐶𝐻4 = 1.86 𝑥 10 −5 𝑚
𝑠
2.1.4. Diffusion through a Varying cross sectional
area
- Area is varying , 𝑁𝐴
𝑁𝐴 =
𝐴
1. Diffusion from sphere
𝑁𝐴
𝑁𝐴 =
4𝜋𝑟 2

- Component (A) at 𝑝𝐴1 at the surface is diffusing into

stagnant (B), where 𝑝𝐴2 = 0

- Steady state diffusion

For A diffusing through stagnant, nondiffusing B
from a sphere:

𝑁𝐴 1 1 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑃 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴2
− = ln
4𝜋 𝑟1 𝑟2 𝑅𝑇 𝑃 − 𝑝𝐴1
2. Diffusion through a conduit of nonuniform
cross sectional area

http://www.afcweb.com/flexible-metal-conduit/

- Component A is diffused through a circular

uniformly tappered conduit

- Steady state
𝑁𝐴 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑑𝑝 𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = 2
=−
𝜋𝑟 𝑅𝑇 1 − 𝑝𝐴 𝑃 𝑑𝑧
DIFFUSIVITY OF GASES
Diffusion coefficient or diffusivity of gases can be
determined by:
1.Experimental:
 Long tube separated by partition

 Two- bulb method

https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/General_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Map%3A_Chem1_(Lower)/06._Properties_of_Gases/6.4%3A_Kinetic_Mo
lecular_Theory_(Overview)
2. Data from experiments
see table 6.2-1
3. Prediction
Semiempirical methods of Fuller at.al (F1)
−7 1.75 1
1.00 𝑥 10 𝑇 1 𝑀𝐴 + 1 𝑀𝐵 2
𝐷𝐴𝐵 =
𝑃 ( υ𝐴 ) 1 3+ υ𝐵 1 3 ]2
4. Schmidt number of gases
𝜇
𝑁𝑠𝑐 =
𝜌𝐷𝐴𝐵
Example 2.1.4.
Hydrogen (𝐻2 ) is diffusing in a mixture of
𝐻2 − 𝐶𝐻4 at 1 std atm, 25𝑜 𝐶. Concentration of
𝐻2 at planes 4 mm apart are 40 and 30 vol%,
respectively. 𝐶𝐻4 is non diffusing. Determine the
flux of 𝐻2 , given diffusivity of hidrogen in
−5 𝑚2
methane is 7.26 𝑥 10 𝑠.
2.2. MOLECULAR DIFFUSION IN LIQUIDS

 Application:
Distillation, liquid-liquid extraction and absorption

 Rate of molecular diffusion is slower than in gases

 Diffusion coefficient is 105 smaller and the flux is

100 times slower than gases

 Depend on concentration and diffusing component

2.2.1. Equimolar counter diffusion of liquids

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐𝐴1 − 𝑐𝐴2 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐𝑎𝑣 𝑥𝐴1 − 𝑥𝐴2

𝑁𝐴 = =
𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝑧2 − 𝑧1

Where: 𝜌 𝜌1 𝜌2
𝑐𝑎𝑣 = = + 2
𝑀 𝑎𝑣 𝑀1 𝑀2

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mVkJX3OZQEA
2.2.2 Diffusion of A through non diffusing B in
liquids
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐𝑎𝑣
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑥𝐴1 − 𝑥𝐴2
𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝒙𝑩𝑴
𝑥𝐵2 − 𝑥𝐵1
Where: 𝒙𝑩𝑴 =
ln(𝑥𝐵2 𝑥𝐵1 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkMimIsbx2Q
DIFFUSIVITY OF LIQUIDS
1. Experimental : diffusion cell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uF0JFdttD0
2. Experimental data
See table 6.3-1

3. Prediction
Wilke-Chang correlation:
−16 1 2
𝑇
𝐷𝐴𝐵 = 1.173 𝑥 10 φ𝑀𝐵
𝜇𝐵 𝑉 0.6𝐴
 Example 2.1.5 (from example 6.3-1)
An ethanol (A)- water (B) solution in the form of 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 6.8wt% and the solution density, 𝜌1 = is 972.8 kg/𝑚3 . At
point 2 the concentration of ethanol is 16.8 wt% and
density , 𝜌2 =988.1 kg/𝑚3 . Calculate the steady state flux
𝑁𝐴 .
−9 𝑚 2
The diffusivity of ethanol is 0.74 x10 𝑠 . Molecular
weight of A, 𝑀𝐴 = 46.05 and molecular weight of B, 𝑀𝐵 =
18.02. Using 100 kg of solution as basis.
REFERENCES

1. Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes

and Separation Process Principle, 4th Edition.
New York: Prentice Hall

1. Treybal, E. (1990). Mass Transfer Operations,

4th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill