Questions and Answers

1. Define the following:

a. Ficks Law of Diffusion
b. Equimolar Counter Diffusion
c. Unicomponent Diffusion
a. Ficks law of diffusion states that the rate of
diffusion of a chemical species at a location in a gas
mixture( or liquid or solid dolution) is proportional to
the concentration gradient of that species at that
location.
b. In equimolar counter-diffusion, the molar fluxes or
A and B are equal, but opposite in direction, and the
total pressure is constant throughout.
c. Unicomponent diffusion is where one component
(A) at one boundary (at the end of the diffusion path)
cant pass through the other component B.

2.A gas CH4 and He in a tube at 101.325 kPa

pressure and 298 K. at one point the partial
pressure of methane is PA1 = 60.79 kPa, and a
point 0.02 m distance away, PA2 = 20.26 kPa. If
the total pressure is constant throughout the
tube, calculate the flux of methane at steady
state for equimolar counter diffusion.

3.

Ammonia gas is diffusing through N2

nondiffusing since it is insoluble in one boundary.
The total pressure of NH3 at one point is 1.333 x
10-5 m2/s, at the other point 20 mm away it is
6.666 x 103 kPa. The DAB for the mixture at
101325 Pa and 298 K is 2.30 x 10-5 m2/s.

a. Calculate the flux of NH3 in kgmols/s-m2.

b. Do the same as (a) but assume N2 also diffuses;
this is, both boundaries to both gases and flux is
equimolar counter diffusion, in which case is the
flux greater.

Given:
PA1 = 1.333X10^4
PA2 = 6.666 X10^3
Solution:
PB1 X10= P-PA1 = 87970 PA
PB2 = P PA2 = 94634 PA
PBD = PB2 PB1 / ln(PB2/PB1) = 1.17X10^5 PA
NA=[(2.30*10^-5)(1.013*110^5)(1.333*10^4)]/
[(8314)(298)(.02)(1.17*10^5)]
NA = Dab/RTZ (PA1-PA2)
NA = 5.36X10^-6 kmol/
NA= (2.3X10^5/8314X298X0.02) (1.333X10^4
6.666X10^3)
NA= 3.09X10^-6 kmol/ m^2-s