Introduction

to Mass
Transfer
A/Prof. Farouq
Twaiq

Introduction

In Transport Phenomena you have studied

three fundamental transfer theories that
are:
i) Momentum transfer
ii) Heat transfer
There are two modes of mass
iii) Mass transfer transfer:
1.
2.

Molecular diffusion
Convective mass transfer

We will focus of studying the processes involving mass

transfer in order to separate materials.
Mass transfer may occur in any of the three phases
(gas, liquid and solid).
Mass transfer occurs whenever there is a gradient in the
concentration of a species.
The basic mechanisms are the same whether the phase
is a gas, liquid, or solid.

Types of Diffusion
Ficks law: linear relation between the rate of
diffusion of chemical species and the concentration
gradient of that species (Driving force).
Thermal diffusion: Diffusion due to a temperature gradient.
Usually negligible unless the temperature gradient is very
large.
Pressure diffusion: Diffusion due to a pressure gradient.
Usually negligible unless the pressure gradient is very large.
Forced diffusion: Diffusion due to external force field acting
on a molecule. Forced diffusion occurs when an electrical
field is imposed on an electrolyte ( for example, in charging
an automobile battery)
Knudsen diffusion: Diffusion phenomena occur in porous
solids.

Driving Force
Whenever there is concentration
difference in a medium, nature
tends to equalize things by
forcing a flow from the high to
the low concentration region.
Before

After

The molecular transport process of mass is characterized

by the general equation:
Rate of transfer process = driving force / resistance

Example of Mass Transfer Processes

Example : Consider a tank that is divided into two equal parts

by a partition. Initially, the left half of the tank contains nitrogen
N2 gas while the right half contains O2 at the same temperature
and pressure. When the partition is removed the N2 molecules
will start diffusing into the air while the O2 molecules diffuse into
the N2. If we wait long enough, we will have a homogeneous
mixture of N2 and O2 in the tank.

Example: Liquid in open pail of water evaporates into air

because of the difference in concentration of water vapor at the
water surface and the surrounding air.

Example: A drop of blue liquid dye is added to a cup of water.

The dye molecules will diffuse slowly by molecular diffusion to
all parts of the water.

Ficks Law of Diffusion

Molecular diffusion or molecular transport can be defined as the

transfer or movement of individual molecules through a fluid by mean
of the random, individual movements of the molecules.
If there are greater number of A molecules near point (1) than at (2),
then since molecules diffuse randomly in both direction, more A
molecules will diffuse from (1) to (2) than from (2) to (1).
The net diffusion of A is from high to low concentration regions.

(2)

B
B

B
B

B
B

(1)

DAB

dc A
dz

B
B

B
A

*
AZ

Figure: Schematic
diagram of molecular
diffusion process

JA*: is the molar flux of component A

in the z direction in kg mol A/s.m2.
DAB: is the molecular diffusivity of the
molecule A in B in m2/s
cA: is the concentration of A in kg
mol/m3.
z : is the distance of diffusion in m

Ficks Law of Diffusion

The diffusion of molecules when the

whole bulk fluid is not moving but
stationary. Diffusion of molecules is due
to a concentration gradient.
The general Ficks Law Equation for binary
mixture of A and B
(2)

B
B

B
B

B
B

(1)

cDAB

dx A
dz

B
B

B
A

*
AZ

Figure: Schematic
diagram of molecular
diffusion process

JA*: is the molar flux of component A

in the z direction in kg mol A/s.m2.
DAB: is the molecular diffusivity of the
molecule A in B in m2/s
xA= mole fraction of A in the
mixture of A and B.
z : is the distance of diffusion in m

Example 1
A mixture of He and N2 gas is contained in a pipe at 298 K
and 1 atm total pressure which is constant throughout. At
one end of the pipe at point 1 the partial pressure pA1 of He
is 0.6 atm and at the other end 0.2 m pA2 = 0.2 atm.
Calculate the flux of He at steady state if DAB of the He-N2
mixture is 0.687 x 10-4 m2/s.

Solution Example 1

Since a total pressure P is constant, the c is constant, where

c is as follows for a gas according to the perfect gas law:
PV nRT
n
P
c
V RT

Where n is kg mol A plus B, V is volume in m3, T is

temperature in K, R is 8314.3 m3.Pa/kg mol.K or R is 82.057
x 10-3 cm3. atm/g. mol. K, and c is kg mol A plus B/m3.
For steady state the flux J*Az. Also DAB for gas is constant.
Rearranging Eq. and integrating.

z2

J *AZ dz D AB
z1

n
P

V RT

cA 2

cA1

dc A

DAB c A1 c A2
z2 z1

from the perfect gas law,

PAV n A RT
c A1

Substituting Eq.

z2

n A PA1

V
RT

J *AZ dz DAB
z1

J *AZ

cA 2

dc A

cA1

DAB c A1 c A2
z2 z1

D AB p A1 p A2
RT ( z2 z1 )

This is the final equation to use, which is in a form eqsily used for gases. Partial
pressures are pA1 = 0.6 atm = 0.6 x 1.01325 x 105 = 6.04 x 104 Pa and pA2 = 0.2
atm = 0.2 x 1.01325 x 105 = 2.027 x 104 Pa. Then, using SI units,

*
AZ

0.687 104 6.08 104 2.027 104

5.63 106 kgmol / s m 2

(8314)( 298)(0.20 0)

If pressures in atm are used with SI unit,

*
AZ

0.687 104 0.6 0.2

5.63 106 kgmol / s m 2

(0.0826)( 298)(0.20 0)

Convection Mass Transfer

When a fluid flowing outside a solid surface in forced convection motion, rate
of convective mass transfer is given by:

N A k c (c L1 c Li )
kc
cL1
cLi

- mass transfer coefficient (m/s)

- bulk fluid conc.
- conc of fluid near the solid surface

kc depend on:

1. system geometry
2. Fluid properties
3. Flow velocity

Molecular Diffusion in
Gases

Equimolar Counter diffusion in Gases

Diffusion of gases A and B plus convection
Diffusion of gas A through stagnant non diffusing gas B
Diffusion through varying cross sectional area

Molecular Diffusion in Gases

Equimolar Counter diffusion in Gases
*
J *AZ J BZ

c c A cB
dc A dcB
J *AZ DAB

dc A
dc
*
J BZ
( ) DBA B
dz
dz

DAB DBA
For a binary gas mixture of
A and B, the diffusivity
coefficient DAB=DBA

Example 2
Ammonia gas (A) is diffusing through a
uniform tube 0.10 m long containing N2
gas (B) at 1.0132 x 105 Pa pressure and
298 K. At point 1, pA1 = 1.013 x 104 Pa
and at point 2, pA2 = 0.507 x 104 Pa. The
diffusivity DAB = 0.230 x 10-4 m2/s.
(a) Calculate the flux J*A at steady state
(b) Repeat for J*B

Solution Example 2
Substituting into for part a
J

*
AZ

D AB p A1 p A2 0.23 104 1.013 0.507 104

RT ( z2 z1 )
(8314)( 298)(0.10 0)

4.70 107 kgmol A/s m 2

for component B for part (b), noting that
pB1 = P pA1 = 1.01325 x 105 1.013 x 104 = 9.119 x 104 Pa
and
pB2 = P pA2 = 1.01325 x 105 0.507 x 104 = 9.625 x 104 Pa.

Substituting into for part b

J

*
BZ

DAB pB1 pB 2 0.23 10 4 9.119 9.625104

RT ( z2 z1 )
(8314)( 298)(0.10 0)

4.70 107 kgmol B/s m 2

The negative for J*B means the flux goes from
point 2 to point 1.

Diffusion of Gases A and B Plus

Convection

vA : velocity of A relative to stationary point

Vad: diffusion of A relative to moving fluid
vm: molar average velocity of whole fluid or convective velocity
vA = vAD + vm
Multiply by concentration of A, cA
cAvA = cAvAD + cAvm
NA = cAvA : total flux of A relative to stationary fluid
J*A = cAdvAd= diffusion flux relative to moving fluid
cAvm: convective flux of A relative to stationary fluid
NA = J*A+cAvm

Diffusion of Gases A and B plus

Convection
NA = J*A+cAvm
N is the total convective flux of the whole stream relative to stationary
point
N= NA+NB = cvm

or

vm = (NA+NB )/c

cA
N A N B or N A cDAB dx A c A N A N B
c
dz
c
c
dx
c
N B J B* B N A N B or N B cD AB B B N A N B
c
dz
c
N A J *A

If the counter diffusion, the convective term become zero

For equimolar counter diffusion,
NA= - NB ,
then
NA=J*A= -NB= -J*B

Gas A diffusing through stagnant

nondiffusing B

One boundary at the end of the diffusion path is impereable to component B (N B = 0)

Evaporation of pure liquid such as benzene (A) at the bottom of narrow tube, where a
large amount of air (B) passed over the top
Benzene vapour (A) diffuse through the air (B) in the tube
At point 1, air B is insoluble in liquid benzene NB=0
At point 2, pA2 = 0 since a large volume of air is passing through

Gas A diffusing through stagnant

nondiffusing B
Absorption of NH3 (A) by water, which NH3 contain in air (B)
Water surface is impermeable to air (B) (NB=0) but NH3 can dissolve in water.

Gas A diffusing through stagnant

nondiffusing B
DAB P
P p A2
ln
RT ( z2 z1 ) P p A1

General equation

NA

Another form to write the equation is

using pBM, also we know that
P=pA1 + pB1 + pB2

pBM

Time for evaporation

p B 2 p B1
p A p A2

ln( pB 2 / pB1 ) ln( P p A1 / P p A2 )

D AB P
PA1 PA2
NA
RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM

A RTpBM ( z F2 z02 )
tF
2 M A DAB P ( p A1 p A2 )

Example 3
Water in the bottom of a narrow metal tube is held at a constant temperature of
293 K. The total pressure of air (assumed dry) is 1.01325 x 10 5 Pa (1.0 atm)
and the temperature is 293 K (20 C). Water evaporates and diffuses through
the air in the tube, and the diffusion path z2-z1 is 0.1524 m (0.5 ft) long.
Calculate the rate of evaporation at steady state in lb mol/h.ft 2 and kg mol/s.m2.
The diffusivity of water vapor at 293 K and 1 am pressure is 0.250 x 10 -4 m2/s.
Assume that the system is isothermal. Use SI and English units.

Solution Example 3

The diffusivity is converted to ft2/h by using the conversion

factor:
DAB=0.25x10-4(3.875x104)=0.969 ft2/h

the vapor pressure of water at 20 C is 17.54 mm, or

pA1 = 17.54/760 = 0.0231 atm = 0.0231(1.01325 x 10 5) = 2.341
x 103 Pa,
pA2 = 0 (pure air).
Since the temperature is 20 C (68 F), T = 460 + 68 R = 293 K.
R = 0.730 ft3.atm/lb mol.R .
To calculate the value of pBM

pB1 P p A1 1.00 0.0231 0.9769atm

pB 2 P p A2 1.00 0.00 1.00atm
pBM

p B 2 p B1
1 0.9769

0.988atm 100.1kPa
ln( pB 2 / pB1 ) ln(1.00 / 0.9769)

 Since pB1 is close to pB2, the linear mean

(pB1+pB2)/2 could be used and would be very close
to pBM.
Substituting
D P into
NA
NA

AB

RT ( z2 z1 ) pBM

p A1 p A2

With z2-z1 = 0.5 ft (0.1524m)

0.969(1.00)
0.0231 0
5
8314( 293)(0.1524)(1.001 10 )

1.595 107 kg mol/s m 2

Diffusion through varying cross

sectional area
(Diffusion from a sphere)
Example
Evaporation of a drop of liquid
Evaporation of a ball of naphthalene
NA

NA
N
A2
A 4r1

N A1

DAB P
p A1 p A2
RTr1 pBM

if p A1 P; p BM P; 2r1 D; c A1 p A1 / RT
N A1

2 D AB P
c A1 c A2
D1

A RTpBM
r12
tF
2 M A DAB P ( p A1 p A2 )

Time of evaporation

Example 4
A sphere of naphthalene having a radius of 2.0 mm is suspended
in a large volume of still air at 318 K and 1.101325 x 105 Pa (1
atm). The diffusivity of the naphthalene at 318 K is 6.92 x10-6
m2/s.
Calculate the rate of evaporation of naphthalene from the surface.

Solution example 4

DAB = 6.92 x 10-6 m2/s,

pA1 = (0.555/760)(1.01325 x 105) = 74.0 Pa,

pA2 = 0,

r1 = 2/1000 m,

pB2 = 1.01325 x 105 0.

since the values of pB1 and pB2 are close to each other,

Substituting

R = 8314 m3.Pa/kg mol.K,

pB1 = P-pA1 = 1.01325 x 105 74.0 = 1.01251 x 105 Pa,

Diffusion Coefficient for

Gases
DAB Empirical Equation

Chapman & Enskog equation

Fuller et al
equation

Example 5
Normal butanol (A) is diffusing through air (B) at 1 atm abs.
Using the Fuller et al. method, estimate the diffusivity DAB for
the following temperatures with the experimental data:
(a) For 0 C.
(b) For 25.9 C.
(c) For 0 C and 2.0 atm abs.

Solution Example 5
For part (a), P = 1.00 atm, T = 273 + 0 = 273 K, MA (butanol) =
74.1, MB (air) = 29. From Table 6.2-2 (Ref),

Substituting into Fuller equation,

This values deviates +10% from the experimental values of

7.03 x 10-6 m2/s from Table 6.2-1 (text book)

Solution Example 5
For part (b), T = 273 + 25.9 = 298.9.
DAB= 9.05 x 10-6 m2/s.
This values deviates by +4% from the experimental value
of 8.70 x 10-6 m2/s
For part (c), the total pressure P = 2.0 atm. Using the value
predicted in part (a) and correcting for pressure,
DAB = 7.73 x 10-6(1.0/2.0) = 3.865x10-6 m2/s