MASS TRANSFER THEORIES

The equations developed so far can only predicts steady state

mass transfer provided the film thickness (zT) is known.

However, in most cases, the value of zT

is not known as
turbulent flow is desired to increase the rate of transfer per unit
area or to create more interfacial area.
Thus in turbulent flow, a mass transfer coefficient (k) is used,

which is defined as:

Rate of mass transfer
k
Area x concentration difference

Unit

mole/s
cm/s
2
3
cm x mole/cm

------ (1.59)
1

Since:
Rate of mass transfer
molar flux, J
Area

------ (1.60)

Therefore:

JA
kc
c Ai c A

in terms of concentration

------ (1.61)

JA
ky
y Ai y A

in terms of molar fraction in

vapor phase

------ (1.62)

JA
kx
x Ai x A

in terms of molar fraction in ------ (1.63)

liquid phase

 Note that only the unit of kc is in cm/s, while the unit of kx

and ky is similar to JA as molar fraction is dimensionless.
However, kc can be correlated with kx and ky by the molar
density:

kc P
k y kc M
RT
kc x
k x kc M
M

------ (1.64)

------ (1.65)

where:

M
x
M

= molar density of fluid (mole/m3)

= normal density of fluid (kg/m3)
= average molecular weight of fluid (kg/mole)

 The significance of kc is brought out by combining Eq. (1.61) with

Eq. (1.23) for steady state equimolar counterdiffusion in a

stagnant film. Combination of both equations give:

DAB (c Ai c A )
JA
1
kc

c Ai c A
zT
(c Ai c A )

------ (1.66)

DAB
kc
zT

------ (1.67)

Thus, the mass transfer coefficient is the molecular diffusivity

divided by the thickness of the diffusion path.

When dealing with unsteady state diffusion or diffusion in
flowing streams, Eq. (1.67) still can be used to give an
effective film thickness from known value of kc and DAB .

EXERCISE:
SO2 is absorbed into water from air in a absorption tower. At a
specific location, SO2 is transferred at the rate of 0.0270 kmol
SO2/m2.h and the liquid phase mole fraction are 0.0025 and
0.0003 respectively, at the two-phase interphase and in the
bulk liquid. If the diffusivity of SO2 in water is 1.7x10-5 cm2/s,
determine the mass-transfer coefficient, kc and the film
thickness, zT neglecting the bulk flow effect.

cDAB
NA
( x Ai x Ab )
zT

i.e. i = interphase, b = bulk flow

Ans: zT = 0.0028 cm
5

TYPE OF MT COEFFICIENTS
A) Definition of MT coefficients:
For turbulent MT with constant c :

J A DAB

dc A
M
dz

------ (1.68)

where:
DAB = molecular diffusivity (m2/s)
M = mass eddy diffusivity (m2/s)

M is variable, near to zero at the interface or surface and

increases as the distance from the wall increases.

Since the variation of M is not generally known, use the average

value of M. Integrating Eq. (1.68) between points 1 and 2 gives:

DAB M
J A1
(c A1 c A2 )
z2 z1

------ (1.69)

The flux JA1 is based on the surface area A1 since the cross
sectional area may vary. The value of z2 - z1, the distance of the
path is often not known. Hence, Eq. (1.69) is simplified and is
written using kc :

J A1 kc (cA1 cA2 )
where:

DAB M
kc
z2 z1

------ (1.70)
7

B) MT coefficient for equimolar counterdiffusion

Similar to the total molar flux, NA in molecular diffusion with the
term M added:

dx A
N A c( DAB M )
xA ( N A N B )
dz

------ (1.71)

For the case of equimolar counterdiffusion, where NA = -NB, and

DAB M
integrating at steady state and k
gives:
z2 z1
'
c

N A k (c A1 c A2 )
'
c

------ (1.72)
8

MT coefficients can also be defined in several ways. Consider:

yA = mole fraction in vapor phase
xA = mole fraction in liquid phase
Therefore, Eq. (1.72) can be written as follows for equimolar
counterdiffusion:
Gases:

N A kc' (cA1 cA2 ) kG' ( pA1 pA2 ) k y' ( y A1 y A2 )

------ (1.73)

Liquids:

N A kc' (cA1 cA2 ) kL' (cA1 cA2 ) k x' ( xA1 xA2 )

------ (1.74)
9

All of these MT coefficients can be related to each other. For

example, using Eq. (1.74) and substituting yA1 = cA1/c and
yA2 = cA2/c into the equation:

k y'

c A1 c A2
N A k (c A1 c A2 ) k ( y A1 y A2 ) k ( ) (c A1 c A2 )
c
c
c
'
c

'
y

'
y

------ (1.75)
Hence,

kc'

k y'

------ (1.76)

c
10

C) MT coefficient for A diffusing through stagnant,

nondiffusing B
For A diffusing through stagnant, nondiffusing B where NB = 0, Eq.
(1.71) gives for steady state:

kc'
NA
(c A1 c A2 ) kc (c A1 c A2 )
xBM
'
x

( x A1 x A2 ) k x ( x A1 x A2 )
xBM

------ (1.77)

where:
kc = MT coefficient for A diffusing through stagnant B.
xBM and yBM are similar to the equations defined in the
previous lectures.

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Rewriting Eq. (1.77) using other units:

Gases:

N A kc (cA1 cA2 ) k G( pA1 pA2 ) k y ( y A1 y A2 )

------ (1.78)

Liquids:

N A kc (cA1 cA2 ) kL (cA1 cA2 ) k x ( xA1 xA2 )

------ (1.79)

All of these MT coefficients can be related to each other. For

example, setting Eq. (1.77) equal to Eq. (1.79) gives:

kc'
c A1 c A2
NA
(c A1c A2 ) k x ( x A1 x A2 ) k x

xBM
c
c
Hence:

kc'
kx

xBM
c

------ (1.80)
12

------ (1.81)

SUMMARY:

13

Example 8:
A large volume of pure gas B at 2 atm pressure is flowing over a
surface from which pure A is vaporizing. The liquid A completely
wets the surface, which is the blotting paper. Hence, the partial
pressure of A at the surface is the vapor pressure of A at 298 K,
which is 0.20 atm. The ky has been estimated to be 6.78 x 10-5 kg
mole/m2smole frac. Calculate NA, the vaporization rate, and also
the value of ky and kG.
Solution:
This is the case of A diffusing through B, where the flux of B normal
to the surface is zero, since B is not soluble in liquid A.
pA1 = 0.20 atm
pA2 = 0 (pure gas B)

14

yA1 = pA1/PT
= 0.20/2.0
= 0.10

From Eq. (1.78):

yA2 = 0

N A k y ( y A1 y A2 )

However we have a value of ky which is related to ky by:

k y yBM k y'

------ (1.82)

Find ky by first calculating yBM:

yB1 = 1.0 - 0.10 = 0.90

yBM

yB2 = 1.0 - 0 = 1.0

yB 2 yB1
1.0 0.90

0.95
ln( yB 2 / yB1 ) ln(1.0 / 0.90)

15

Then, from Eq. (1.82),

ky

k y'
yBM

6.78 x 105

7.138 x 105 kgmole/m 2 s mole frac.

0.95

Similarly, calculate kG :

kG yBM P k y yBM

------ (1.83)

7.138 x 105
10
2
kG

3
.
522
x
10
kgmole/m
s Pa
5
PT 2 x 1.01325 x 10 Pa
ky

7.138 x 105
kG

3.569 x 105 kgmole/m 2 s atm

PT
2.0 atm
ky

16

Using Eq. (1.78) to calculate the flux NA:

N A k y ( y A1 y A2 )
7.138 x 10-5 (0.10 - 0)
7.138 x 10-6 kgmole/m 2 s

Also:
pA1 = 0.20 atm = 0.20(1.01325 x 105) = 2.026 x 104 Pa
Using Eq. (1.78) again to calculate the flux NA:
N A kG ( p A1 p A2 )

N A kG ( p A1 p A2 )

3.522 x 10-10 (2.026 x 10 4 - 0)

3.569 x 10-5 (0.20 - 0)

7.138 x 10-6 kgmole/m 2 s

7.138 x 10-6 kgmole/m 2 s

Note that in this case, since the concentration were diluted,

yBM is close to 1.0 and ky and ky differ very little.

17