11/16/2010

Unit 1
Principles of Mass Transfer
Diffusion Principles

Lecture Objectives
• To understand the meaning of diffusion and 
g
its application to unit operations
• To differentiate between the basic types of 
diffusion
• To apply diffusion to a binary system and 
learn the concept of mass diffusivity
• To know how to evaluate mass diffusivities 
from available data and formulas from the 
Handbook. ©UST Ch.E. Department

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What is Diffusion?

• It is the movement of component(s) through a 
fluid.
• Can you see diffusion in the following unit 
operations?
– Distillation
– Gas Absorption
– Liquid Extraction
– Leaching
– Drying

©UST Ch.E. Department

Basic Types of Diffusion
• Molecular Diffusion (J
Molecular Diffusion (Ji)
– The movement is due to difference in concentration
– Ji is the rate of molecular diffusion of component  i in 
mole/area‐time 
• Convective Diffusion (Ei)
– The movement is due to mechanical means (velocity 
diff
difference) )
– Ei is the convective diffusion rate, same unit as Ji
• Diffusion Rate is also called Molar Flux (Ni)
– Generally,  Ni =  Ji +  Ei
©UST Ch.E. Department

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Binary Diffusion

This involves diffusion involving a system composed

of only two components, A and B.
The molar fluxes of A and B may be related to the
molecular and convective fluxes as follows:
NA = JA+ EA NB = JB + EB

Let N = Net Molar Flux = NA + NB

Note: The flux is also dependent on direction;

If B is moving in a direction opposite that of A,
then NB = - NA
©UST Ch.E. Department

Binary Diffusion
Molecular Diffusion Equation is based on Fick’s Law:
For unidirectional transfer in the z direction:

JA = DAB - dCA JB = DBA - dCB

dz dz
where
h DAB is
i mass diff
diffusivity
i it off A iin B
Unit of DAB: L2/time

Assignment: Show when DAB = DBA

©UST Ch.E. Department

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Evaluation of Mass Diffusivity

• Gaseous Systems
– Using Tables from Handbook
– Using Formulas from Handbook and in textbooks 
(Geankoplis, Treybal, Foust, MSH)
• Liquid Systems
Liquid Systems
– Using Tables from Handbook
– Using Formulas from Handbook and in textbooks 
(Geankoplis, Treybal, Foust, MSH)
©UST Ch.E. Department

Exercises
Use the tables from the Handbook for the following:
1. Find the mass diffusivity of benzene vapor in:
a) air at 20 deg. C and 1 atm
b) carbon dioxide at 35 deg. C and 800 T

2. Find the mass diffusivity of carbon dioxide in

carbon monoxide at 25 deg. C and 85 kPa.
3. Find the mass diffusivity of caffeine in water
at 35 deg. C and 1 atm.
4. Find the mass diffusivity of acetic acid in
acetone at 30 deg. C and 1.2 atm.
©UST Ch.E. Department

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Solution
Using Tables:
1. Find the mass diffusivity of benzene in a) air at 20 deg C and 1 atm b) CO2 at 35 deg. C
and 800 T

Table 2-371/2-328
1.75
20  273 
 
4 6
a) Dab  0.077 10  Dab  8.714  10
 273 
1.75
 
4 35  273  760 6
b) Dab  0.0528 10   Dab  6.195  10
 273  800

2. Find the mass diffusivity of carbon dioxide in carbon monoxide at 25 deg C and 85 kPa

1.75
 
4 25  273  101.325 5
Dba  0.137 10   Dba  1.904  10
 273  85
©UST Ch.E. Department

Solution
3. Find the mass diffusivity of caffeine in water at 35 deg C and 1 atm

 9 at 25 deg C and 1 atm

Dab  0.63 10

At 25 deg. C, b = 0.94; at 35 deg C, b = 0.78

 9 0.94 35  273  10
Dab  0.63 10   Dab  7.847  10
0.78 25  273

4 Find the mass diffusivity of acetic acid in acetone at 30 deg

4. deg. C and 1
1.2
2 atm

 9 0.325 30  273 9
Dab  3.31 10   Dab  3.586  10
0.305 25  273

©UST Ch.E. Department

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Exercises

Use the formulas from the Handbook for the following:

1. Determine the mass diffusivity of methanol vapor in

air at 600 Torrs and 30 deg. C.
2. Estimate the mass diffusivity of benzene vapor in
toluene vapor at 120 kPa and 25 deg. C.
3 Fi
3. Findd the
h mass diff
diffusivity
i i off nitrogen
i gas in
i oxygen
gas at 10 MPa and 30 deg. C.
4. Estimate the mass diffusivity of carbon dioxide gas
in liquid ethanol solvent at 1 atm and 30 deg. C.
©UST Ch.E. Department

Pertinent Equations from Handbook

1. For Gas Systems:
a. Fuller Equation (Eqn. 2‐152/p. 2‐370)
b. Gilliland Equation (Eqn. 2‐150/p. 2‐370)
c. Takahashi Equation (Eqn. 2‐153/p. 2‐371)
2. For Liquid Systems
i id
a. Wilkes Chang Equation Eqn. 155/p. 2‐371

©UST Ch.E. Department

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Solution

1. Estimate the mass diffusivity

y of methanol vapor in air at 600 Torrs and 30 deg.
g C.

Using Fuller Equation (Equation 2-152/2-370)

Vc  16.5 Vh  1.98 Vo  5.481 From Table 2-400/2-370

Vb  20.1 Va  Vc  4 Vh  Vo Va  29.901
600 4
T  30  273 P   101325 P  7.99934 10 T  303
760
M  32
Ma Mb  29

0.5
  
1.75 1 1

0.01013T   2
Dab 
 Ma Mb 
Dab  2.107  10
5 m
2 s
 1 1
 3 3
P  Va  Vb 
©UST Ch.E. Department

Solution

2. Find the mass diffusivity of benzene vapor in toluene at 120 kPa and 25 deg.C

Using Gilliland Equation (Equation 2-150/2-370) and Tyn/Calus Eqn for Vi(Eqn 2-151/2-370

M1  78 M2  92 Vc1  0.261 1000 Vc2  0.314 1000 Table 2-164/2-137

1.048 1.048
V1  0.285 Vc1 V2  0.285 Vc2 V1  97.159 V2  117.931
T  ( 25  273)  1.8 T  536.4 R 14.7
P  120
101.325 P  17.409 psia
0.5
  
15
1.5 1 1

0.1014T   2
D12 
 M1 M2 
D12  0.12337
ft
2 hr
 1 1
 3 3
P  V1  V2 
D12 2
D12  6 m
2 D12  3.18546 10
3.28  3600 s
©UST Ch.E. Department

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3. Estimate the mass diffusivity of nitrogen gas in oxygen gas at 10 MPa and 30 deg.C.

Using Takahashi Equation (Equation 2-153/2-371)

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Ma  28 Mb  32 P  10 10 T  30  273
6
Pcb  5.02 10 Tcb  154.58
P T
Pr  Pr  1.992 Tr  Tr  1.96015
Pcb Tcb

Va  17.9 Vb  16.6 P  101325

0.5
  
1.75 1 1
0.01013 T  
D'ab 
 Ma Mb 
5
2 D'ab  2.13251  10
 1 1
 3 3
P   Va  Vb 

From Table 2-401/2-371 At Pr = 2 DabPr  1.03

6
A  0.69001 B  3.376 C  0.0665702 E  11.21674 P  10 10

Dab  1.013 10 
5 D'ab 
 DabPr  1  A  Tr
B  1  C Tr E
P
2
7 m
Dab  2.06668  10 ©UST Ch.E. Department
s

Solution

4. Estimate the mass diffusivity of carbon dioxide in liquid ethanol at 30 deg. C, 1 atm.

Using Wilke-Chang Equation (Equation 2-155/2-371)

T  30  273 b  1.5 b  1.03 0.001 Mb  46

1.048
0.285 Vc
Vc  0.095 1000 Va  Va  0.0336899
1000

 16 T  b  Mb 
2 2
9 m
Dab  1.172810
  Dab  2.19157 10
0.6 s
b  Va

©UST Ch.E. Department