MET302 HMT

Module 5
Mass Transfer
 Transfer processes
For a transfer or rate process

𝒅𝑻
𝑸ሶ = −𝒌𝑨
𝒅𝒙
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Transfer processes

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 Transfer processes

In Mechanical Engineering, we study three transfer

processes (rate processes), namely

•Momentum transfer or Fluid flow

•Heat transfer
•Mass transfer

The study of these three processes is called as

transport phenomena.
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 Transfer processes
Transfer processes are either:

• Molecular (rate of transfer is only a function

of molecular activity), or
• Convective (rate of transfer is mainly due to
fluid motion or convective currents)

Unlike momentum and mass transfer processes,

heat transfer has an added mode of transfer
called as radiation heat transfer.
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 Summary of transfer processes

Conductance Law for molecular

Rate Process Driving force (Transport property) transfer
Momentum Viscosity Newton’s law of
Velocity gradient
transfer (Kinematic viscosity) viscosity

Temperature Thermal conductivity

Heat transfer gradient Fourier’s law
(Thermal diffusivity)

Concentration
Mass transfer gradient (chemical Mass diffusivity Fick’s law
potential gradient)

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 Molecular rate laws

Newton’s law of
viscosity (modified)

Fourier’s law of
conduction heat transfer
(modified)

Fick’s law of molecular

diffusion

Each transport diffusivity has the SI unit of m 2/s. 8

 Ratios of transport diffusivities

Prandtl number is the ratio of molecular diffusivity of

momentum (kinematic viscosity) to molecular
diffusivity of heat (thermal diffusivity).

Schmidt number is the ratio of molecular diffusivity of

momentum (kinematic viscosity) to molecular
diffusivity of mass.

Lewis number is the ratio of molecular diffusivity

of heat (thermal diffusivity) to molecular
diffusivity of mass. 10
Ratios of transport diffusivities

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Modes of mass transfer

Mass transfer is basically of three types

• Mass transfer by molecular diffusion

• Mass transfer by convection/Convective MT
• Mass transfer by change of phase

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1
1

Mass Transfer

 Movement of the molecule occurs due to

concentration gradient known as molecular
diffusion.
Molecular
Diffusion

Gases Liquids
1
2

Molecular diffusion in gases

partition

Gas A Gas B

CB decreasing

dx

CA decreasing

❑ Gas A moves towards chamber B and gas B moves towards

chamber A.
❑ Concentration of A with distance towards chamber B & B
towards A, variation in concentration of component with
distance in the system called concentration gradient.
❑ Movement of molecule A or B occurs due to concentration
gradient known as molecular diffusion.
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FICK’S LAW OF DIFFUSION

• Fick’s law relates the mass flux to concentration

gradient of a species in a mixture.
• The diffusion rate is governed by Fick’s law.
• It states that in a gas mixture the diffusion mass flux
of a constituent per unit area is directly proportional
to the concentration gradient.

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MASS TRANSFER BY DIFFUSION IN A
BINARY GAS MIXTURE.
• Consider a system with two components A and B as
shown in Fig.

• A thin partition which separates the components is

removed at an instance, the two components diffuse
through each other until they reach at an
equilibrium state and concentration of components
becomes uniform throughout.

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MASS TRANSFER BY DIFFUSION IN A
BINARY GAS MIXTURE.

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MASS DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT
• The constant of proportionality DAB in Fick’s law is known
as the mass diffusion coefficient or mass diffusivity.
• The value of mass diffusivity varies widely from phase to
phase.
• The diffusion coefficients are usually obtained
experimentally.
• For binary gases at ordinary pressure it independent of
mixture composition and increases with temperature while
decreases with pressure as :

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SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF
FICK’S LAW OF DIFFUSION
1. Fick’s law is based on experimental evidence and hence, it
cannot be derived from first principle.
2. Fick’s law is valid in any state of all matters.
3. The mass diffusion rate depends on concentration gradient,
caused by temperature gradient, a pressure gradient or an
external force.
4. A component in a mixture diffuses in the direction of
decreasing concentration.
5. Diffusion coefficient DAB, in general depends upon
temperature, pressure and the nature of system components.

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Numerical Problem # No.1
• The hydrogen gas is maintained at pressure of 2.4
bar and 1 bar on opposite of a plastic membrane 0.3
mm thick. The binary diffusion coefficient of
hydrogen in the plastic is 8.7 × 10–8 m2/s. The
solubility of hydrogen in the membrane is 1.5 ×10–3
kg-mole/m3bar. Calculate under uniform condition
of 25°C, the following: (i) Molar concentration of
hydrogen on opposite faces of membrane. (ii) Molar
and mass diffusion flux of hydrogen through
membrane.

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EQUIMOLAR COUNTER DIFFUSION
• In the distillation of two components, whose molar latent
heats of vaporisation are equal, a physical situation
encountered, that the flux of one gaseous component is equal
to but acting in opposite direction from other gaseous
component. Such type of diffusion is termed as equimolar
counter diffusion.
• Consider two large chamber containing gas component A
and gas component B are connected by a passage as shown
in Fig. in such a way that the each molecule of gas A is
replaced by a molecule of B and vice versa.
• The total pressure p = pA + pB (uniform throughout)

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EQUIMOLAR COUNTER DIFFUSION

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 Ranges of mass diffusivities

Diffusion coefficients are generally highest for

gases, lower for liquids, and lowest for solids.
The ranges are as follow

For gases: 5×10‒6 to 1×10‒5 m2/s

For liquids: 1×10‒10 to 1×10‒9 m2/s
For solids: 1×10‒14 to 1×10‒10 m2/s

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 Diffusion coefficient or
mass diffusivity
Diffusion coefficients may be obtained by doing
experiments in the laboratory.
Diffusion coefficients may be obtained from
experimentally measured values by various
researchers in the field. Many of these data is
collected in handbooks, etc.
When experimental values are not found, diffusion
coefficients may be estimated using theoretical,
semi-empirical (semi-theoretical), or empirical
correlations.

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Experimental diffusion
coefficients

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Coordinate systems

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General mass balance equation

Rewrite the balance in

terms of number of moles
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Differential equation for mass transfer

A control volume in a body of a fluid is shown

below:

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Differential equation for mass transfer

For the control volume shown

The net rate of mass transfer through the control

volume may be worked out by considering mass
to be transferred across the control surfaces.
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In rectangular coordinates

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 Differential equations

Rectangular coordinates

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Differential equations for mass transfer
in terms of NA (molar units)
In rectangular coordinates

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 CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER
• Convective mass transfer involves the diffusion of a fluid
by bulk motion of mixture.
• When a fluid moves over a surface, the transfer of mass
occurs due to mass diffusion and bulk movement of
fluid.
• The situation is analogous to convective heat transfer.
• The fluid movement augments the mass transfer
considerably, by replacing the high concentration fluid
near the surface by the low concentration fluid.
• In absence of bulk motion of fluid, the mass convection
reduces to mass diffusion. 28
 CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER

• Convective mass transfer can also be classified as free

mass convection and forced mass convection.
• In free mass convection, the concentration gradient
changes the density of the fluid, which may be acted
upon by the buoyancy force.
• Eg: The evaporation of alcohol or gasoline
• In forced mass convection one fluid moves with
appreciable velocity over another fluid.
• Eg: The evaporation of water from the ocean.
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CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER

• The rate of mass convection is influenced by fluid

properties, flow geometry, flow velocity, flow
regimes and composition.
• The mechanism of convection mass transfer is also
intricated like convection heat transfer.
• Therefore, we rely on experimental relations to
obtain mass transfer rate.

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MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT

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ANALOGY BETWEEN THE QUANTITIES IN THE FORMULATION AND
SOLUTION OF HEAT CONVECTION AND MASS CONVECTION

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CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER

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CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER

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CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER

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Numerical Problem

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Numerical Problem

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Numerical Problem

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Numerical Problem

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Analogy between heat, mass and momentum transfer

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Analogy between Heat and Mass Transfer

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Analogy between Heat and Mass Transfer

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Analogy between Heat and Mass
Transfer
• Now consider the hypothetical case in which the molecular
diffusivities of momentum, heat, and mass are identical. That
is, 𝜈=𝛼=DAB and thus Pr = Sc= Le =1. In this case the
normalized velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles
will coincide, and thus the slope of these three curves at the
surface will be identical Then we can set the right sides of
those three equations equal to each other and obtain

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Analogy between Heat and Mass
Transfer

• This relation is known as the Reynolds analogy, and it

enables us to determine the seemingly unrelated friction,
heat transfer, and mass transfer coefficients when only one
of them is known or measured.
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Analogy between Heat and Mass
Transfer

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Analogy between Heat and Mass Transfer

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Analogy between Heat and Mass Transfer

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References

1. Sachdeva R C, Fundamentals of Engineering

Heat and Mass Transfer, New Age Science
Limited, 2009
2. [Link]. Heat and mass transfer, [Link] &
Co.,2015
3. Nag P K., Heat and Mass Transfer, McGraw Hill,
2011
4. Kothandaraman, C.P., Fundamentals of Heat and
Mass Transfer, New Age International, New
Delhi, 2006

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THANK YOU