THEORY

The diffusivity of the vapour of the acetone in this experiment can be determined by the
Winkelmanns method. Mass transfer take place in either a gas phase or a liquid phase or in both
simultaneously. The diffusion of vapour A from the volatile liquid into another gas B can be
conveniently studied by confining a small sample of the liquid in a narrow vertical tube.
Normally , B is air and A is an organic solvent such as acetone.
The apparatus consist of a glass capillary tube place in a transparent sided temperature
controlled water bath. A horizontal glass tube is fixed to the upper end of the capillary tube and
air is blown through the small pump included within the unit. A travelling microscope with
sliding vernier scale , is mounted on a rigid stand alongside the thermostatic bath and is used to
measure t inthe rate of fall of the air meniscus within capillary.
The relationship between the measured molar mass rate ( N A per unit area) , the partial pressure
gradient and diffusion coefficiect D is deduced from the one dimensional steady state version of
Ficks Law with bulk flow(3) :
CA
NA = D L

CT
C BM

(A)

: CA and CB are the molar concentration of the vapour A and air B respectively.
Where :
2

m
D = diffusivity [ s

kmol
CA = saturation concentration of mass transfer at the interface [ m3 ]

L = effective distance of mass transfer [m]

CT = total molar concentration

kmol
m3 ]

CBM = logarithmic mean value of CB [

kmol
m3 ]

Evaporation of the liquid :

L dL
(
NA = M ) dt

(B)

kg

m3

Where , pL = density of liquid [

kg
M = molecular weight [ kmol ]

Combination of equation A and B :

L
( M

dL
dt

CA
=D( L

CT
) ( C BM )

The L0 is at t = 0, the slope of plotting the graph of

S=(

C BM
L
2 MD ) ( C A C

The diffusivity :

t
LL0

against ( L L0 ):

D=

L C BM
2 M C A CT s

4.0 DIAGRAM AND DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS

The SOLTEQ Gaseous Diffusion Coefficient Apparatus consists of water bath tank, capillary
tube, air pump and travelling telescope. In water bath tank, there are some additional parts that
help this experiment works such as heater W1, temperature sensor, temperature controller and
level switch. The purpose of heater W1 is to heat up the water in the water bath to the
temperature desired. Temperature sensor is to measure the temperature by correlating the
resistance of the element with the temperature. Temperature controller is about controlling the
temperature following the experimental temperature and water bath itself can maintain a steady
temperature so that there is no eddy current in the vertical tube and mass transfer takes place
from the surface by molecular diffusion alone. Next, the T-shape vertical capillary tube is used
with the air pump which has been attached to the one end of the T-Tube. The purpose is to allow
the maintenance of a partial pressure difference within the capillary tube between the evaporating
liquid surface and the flowing air stream. The travelling telescope equipped with a vernier scale
is used to measure the level of the acetone meniscus within the capillary

FIGURE 1

RESULTS
Temperature = 50
Lo=9mm
Time (ks)

Time from

Liquid level (

commencem

LLO

ent of
experiment, t

(mm)

(min)
0.00
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100
120

0.00
1.50
3.50
5.00
8.40
10.6
12.0

0.00
1.20
2.40
3.60
4.80
6.00
7.20

CALCULATIONS
Molecular weight, M = 58.08 kg/mol
Temperature,
Pressure,

Pa

Ta

= 50

= 323K

= 101.3 kN/m

Kmol volume = 22.4 m

Density,

= 791 kg/m

Vapour pressure,

Pv

= 56 Kn/m

t/(

LLO

(ks/mm)

0.00
0.80
0.69
0.72
0.57
0.57
0.60

Reading of
vernier, L
(mm)

0.00
10.5
12.5
14.0
17.4
19.6
21.0

||

Absolute temperature,

= 273K

T||
Ta

1
CT =

Kmol volume

K
=0.03773 kmol /m
( 22.41m )( 273
323 K )

Logarithmic mean molecular concentration of vapour,

C B 1=C T
C B 1=0.03773 kmol /m

C B 2=

Pa Pv
CT
Pa

kN /m
kmol
=0.01687
( 101.3 kN101.3/ m56
)0.03773 kmol
kN /m
m
m

C B 2=

C BM =

(C B 1C B 2 )
C
ln B 1
C B2

( )

kmol
kmol
0.01687
)
m
m
km ol
=0.02592
m
0.03773 kmol /m
ln
kmol
0.01687
m

(0.03773
=

Saturation concentration at interphase,

C A kmol/ m

C BM

(kmol/m)

Pv
C
Pa T

CA=

( )

CA=

56 kN /m
kmol
kmol
0.03773
=0.002086
( 101.3
)
kN /m
m
m

Graph of t versus liquid level

0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
t/( L-Lo) (ks/mm)

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0

10

Liquid level (L-Lo) (mm)

12

14

Area under the graph, slope, s

1.

1
( 0+0.69 ) ( 3.60 )=1.242
2

2.

1
( 0.69+0.68 ) ( 63.6 )=1.644
2

3.

1
( 0.68+0.58 ) ( 86 )=1.26
2

4.

1
( 0.58+0.60 ) ( 128 ) =2.36
2

1
( y 1 + y 2)(x 2x 1 )
2

Total area = 6.506 s/m

Diffusivity, D(m/s)
D=

( L C BM )
s (2 M C A C T )

791kg /m

kmol
0.02592
m
( )

D=

CONCLUSION
As the conclusion, the result for diffusivity coefficient at 50 C is 1.3791 x 10-4 m2/s.
Based on the result, the level of acetone decreased as the time increased caused by diffusion.
From the graph plotted, it can be also conclude that the flowing air significantly increases the
diffusion coefficient thus increasing the mass transfer. During the experiment, there are some
errors occur. To get accurate values of diffusivity, a few of recommendations step should be
taken.

DISCUSSION :
This experiment was conducted to obtain the gas diffusion
coefficient of acetone using the Winkelmanns method. In this experiment,
the volatile liquid is heated until it evaporated into free air stream. The rate
of diffusion can be observed by the rate of decreasing of acetone level in the
tube by using a telescope. Diffusion is the movement of molecules from area
of high concentration to area of lower concentration and this is increased
with increasing temperature which means when the temperature increase
the diffusion will also rising up. In the other word, when temperature is
higher, then the rate of diffusion would probably increase caused by
increasing kinetic activity of the solution.
Based on the result, the level of acetone was decreased when the time
was increased caused by diffusion. Diffusion is process where involving the
movement of component or molecules from one location to another location
due to exist of concentration gradient. Normally, the movement of molecule
is from high concentration part to more less concentration gradient.
In the experiment, the diffusion concept can be observed by the
decreasing of acetone level in the capillary tube. The boiling process of water
generated heat and the heat was transferred to the acetone. This process
was increased the movement of molecules in the acetone until it creates
body that has high concentration compare to surrounding. Furthermore, due
to some driving forces and existing of concentration gradient, the molecule
was move from inside the capillary tube to the surrounding air that has less
concentration.
Based on the graph that has been plotted, the x-axis of the graph is
the differences between final level of acetone and the initial level of acetone.
Meanwhile, the y-axis of the graph is the time taken divide by the difference
between the levels of acetone. In addition, the trend of the graph is
increased proportionally. The increasing the difference between the levels of
acetone, the increasing the time divide by the difference between the levels
of the acetone. From the calculation and the data from the table, the value of
diffusivity was determined which is 344.7 m2/s.
The temperature controller was set up at 50C through along the
experiment and it not been set beyond 70C. It is because the boiling point
of the acetone is at 56C where the process where the phase of acetone

change from liquid to vapor. When the temperature exceeds 70C, the rate of
evaporation is faster compare to temperature at the boiling point. This
situation can cause the problem to the experimenter to collect the data or
difference of acetone level. Finally, the discrepancy from the experimental
data is the value of the time divide by difference between levels of acetone
between intervals is not increased constantly due to some errors such as
parallax error and the initial value of the acetone in the capillary tube was
not read accurately.