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Molecular Diffusion: Lecture Week 4

The document discusses steady state molecular diffusion through a constant area in a binary gas mixture. It provides assumptions and considers two situations: (1) Diffusion of component A through a stagnant layer of component B; and (2) Equal counter-diffusion of components A and B. It then provides examples calculating diffusion rates of oxygen through methane and evaporation rates of water and benzene from surfaces using diffusion equations.

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ashas waseem
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484 views25 pages

Molecular Diffusion: Lecture Week 4

The document discusses steady state molecular diffusion through a constant area in a binary gas mixture. It provides assumptions and considers two situations: (1) Diffusion of component A through a stagnant layer of component B; and (2) Equal counter-diffusion of components A and B. It then provides examples calculating diffusion rates of oxygen through methane and evaporation rates of water and benzene from surfaces using diffusion equations.

Uploaded by

ashas waseem
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Molecular Diffusion

Lecture week 4
What is Steady State?
If a system is at steady state the variables and
parameters do not change with time.

If a system is at steady state, the variables and


parameters associated with it donot change with
time. For example if diffusion of component A
occurs from 1 point to another point in a medium
at steady state the concentration distribution and
rate of transport remains invariant with time.
Steady State Molecular Diffusion
through a constant area in Binary
Gas Mixture
Rate of molecular diffusion from one point to
another point cannot be calculated easily because
it expresses flux in terms of concentration
gradient at a point rather than a concentration of
diffusing species at two points.

So In this topic we are considering diffusion


through a constant area . The flux of diffusing
species donot change with position at steady state
The following two situations which are commonly
encountered in practice have been considered
here:
(a) Diffusion of component A through a stagnant
layer of component B
(b) Equal molal counter-diffusion of components
A and B.
Binary Mixture of A & B

Assumptions:

• Area through which diffusion occurs is constant


• The gas mixture is ideal
• Temperature is uniform
• Diffusion occurs at steady state(variables &
parameters do not change with time)
• Through a constant area the flux does not change
with position in steady state.
• Through a variable area the flux changes with
position even when the system is at steady state
1. Diffusion of A through non Diffusing B:

In gas absorption a soluble gas A is transferred to the liquid


surface where it dissolves, whereas the insoluble gas B undergoes
no net movement with respect to the interface.

Let us consider a pool of water placed in a tray in contact with a


stream of unsaturated air. So long as the air remains unsaturated,
water molecules will diffuse into the air. The bulk of air is in
motion, but a thin layer of air in contact with water will be
stagnant and then moving in laminar motion in a direction normal
to the direction of diffusion. Water vapour will diffuse through this
layer by molecular diffusion before being carried away by the
moving air

The mass transfer process therefore:


N A = P A /P ( NA + NB) - D AB / RT dPA/ dz
Since stagnant diffusion layer: NB = 0
Since diffusion is through constant area at steady state therefore NA =
constant
Diffusion occurs from a point z= 0 ( partial pressure of A is pA = PA0) to the
point z= l (PA = P AL)
Since total pressure in the medium is uniform
Rearranging,

where,

Considering diffusion of A from point z=0 to any point z=z where


the partial pressure of A is pA , then equation would become
Example 2.4
Problem No 1
Diffusion of one component through the
stagnant layer of another component
Oxygen is diffusing through a stagnant layer of methane 5
mm thick. The temperature is 20°C and the pressure 100
kN/m2. The concentrations of oxygen on the two sides of
the film are 15% and 5% by volume. The diffusivity of
oxygen in methane at 20°C and 100 kN/m2 is 2.046 x10 -5
m2/s. (a) Calculate the rate of diffusion of oxygen in kmol/
m2s (b) What will be the rate of diffusion if the total
pressure is raised to 200 kN/m2, other conditions
remaining unaltered?
Solution
T = 293 K,
P = 100 kN/m2
z = 5 mm = 0.005 m.
pA1 = 100 x0.15 = 15 kN/m2
pB1 = (100 - 15) = 85 kN/m2
pA2 = 100 x0.05 = 5 kN/m2
pB2 = (100 - 5) = 95 kN/m2
pBM = (95 + 85)/2 = 90kN/m^2
𝐷𝐴𝐵∗𝑃 𝑃𝐴𝑜−𝑃𝐴𝑙
NA= x
𝑅𝑇𝐿 𝑃𝐵𝑀
(2.06𝑒𝑥𝑝−5)(100) (15−5)
NA= x
(8.314)(293)(0.005) 90
NA = The rate of diffusion of oxygen
= 1.87 x10^-8 kmol/m^2.sec
At 200 kN/m2 pressure: P = 200 kN/m2, DAB =
(2.046 10 -5) (100/200) = 1.023exp-5 m^2/s.
pA1 = 200 x0.15 = 30 kN/m2
pB1 = (200 - 30) = 170 kN/m2
pA2 = 200 x 0.05 = 10 kN/m2
pB2 = (200 - 10) = 190 kN/m2
PBM= (170+190)/2= 180 kN/m2

𝐷𝐴𝐵∗𝑃 𝑃𝐴𝑜−𝑃𝐴𝑙
NA= x
𝑅𝑇𝐿 𝑃𝐵𝑀
(1.023𝑒𝑥𝑝−5)(200) (30−10)
NA= x
(83.14)(293)(0.005) 180
NA = = 1.87 exp -8 kmol/s.m^2.
Problem No 2
Calculation of rate of diffusion of one
component from data on diffusion of
another component

The rate of evaporation of water from a surface


maintained at a temperature of 60°C is 2.71 x 10 -
4 kg/s.m2. What will be the rate of evaporation of
benzene from a similar surface but maintained at
26°C if the effective film thicknesses are the same
in both the cases?
Solution
Vapour pressure of water at 60°C = 149 mm Hg.
Vapour pressure of benzene at 26°C = 99.5 mm
Hg. Diffusivity of air-water vapour at 60°C = 2.6x
10 -5 m2/s. Diffusivity of air-benzene vapour at
26°C = 0.98 # 10 -5 m2/s. Atmospheric pressure
in both the cases = 1.013 # 10^5N/m^2.
For evaporation of water Rate of evaporation =
2.71 # 10 -4 kg/m2s = 1.505 x 10 -5 kmol/sm2
T = 333 K, pA1 = 149 mm Hg = 0.1986 x 10 5
N/m2
pB1 = 1.013 x 10 ^5 - 0.1986 x 10^ 5 = 0.8144
x10^ 5 N/m2
pA2 = 0, pB2 = 1.013x10^5 N/m^2.
𝑃𝐵𝑙−𝑃𝐵0
PBM= 𝑃𝐵𝑙
ln⁡(𝑃𝐵𝑂)
1.013𝑒𝑥𝑝5−0.8144𝑒𝑥𝑝5
PBM= 1.013𝑒𝑥𝑝5
ln⁡( )
0.8144𝑒𝑥𝑝5

PBM= 0.910exp5 N/m^2.


T = 299 K, pA1 = 99.5 mm Hg = 0.1326 x 105 N/m2
pB1 = 0.8804 x 105 N/m2,
pA2 = 0,
pB2 = 1.013 x 105 N/m2
pBM = 0.9451 x 105
-The rate of evaporation of benzene = 4.06 #x10 -6 kmol/m^2.sec

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