Mass Transfer Coefficients

Week 3

By:
Muslim Muhammad
muslim.amin@kti.edu.krd
2018-2019

Muslim Muhammad Kurdistan Technical Institute(www.kti.edu.krd/ku) – Petroleum Department. 1

Introduction
• Mass-transfer problems involving flowing fluids are often solved
using mass transfer coefficients. These are analogous to heat-
transfer coefficients.
𝑄ሶ 𝑐 = ℎ𝐴 𝑇𝑠 − 𝑇∞

• Similarly for the rate of mass transfer of component A:

𝑛𝐴 = 𝑘𝑐 ∙ 𝐴 ∙ Δ𝑐𝐴
• Using flux definition:
𝑛𝐴
𝑁𝐴 = → 𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘 ∙ Δ𝑐𝐴
𝐴

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Introduction
• Because composition can be expressed in a number of ways,
different mass-transfer coefficients apply.
• If concentration is used
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝑐 ∙ Δ𝑐𝐴
• if partial pressure is used:
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝑝 ∙ Δ𝑝𝐴
• If mole fraction is used:
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝑦 ∙ Δ𝑦𝐴

For EMD in gas phase:

𝑃
𝑘𝑦 = 𝑘𝑐 = 𝑘𝑝 𝑃
𝑅𝑇

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Theories
• Most practically useful situations involve turbulent flow.
• There are many good theories which attempt to explain
the behavior of mass transfer coefficients:
• Film theory
• Penetration theory
• Surface renewal theory

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Two Film Theory
• Two films are in series
• Each film presents a resistance to mass transfer
• Concentrations in the two fluids at the interface are assumed to be
in phase equilibrium.
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝑝 𝑝𝐴𝑏 − 𝑝𝐴𝑖
𝑝𝐴𝑏 𝐻𝐴 − 𝑐𝐴𝑏
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑘𝑐 𝑐𝐴𝑖 − 𝑐𝐴𝑏 𝑁𝐴 =
𝑐𝐴𝑖 = 𝐻𝐴 𝑝𝐴𝑖 𝐻𝐴 Τ𝑘𝑝 + 1Τ𝑘𝑐

HA is Henry’s constant
Absorption of carbon dioxide in water:
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝐻𝐴 = 3.4 × 10−2
𝑙𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑡𝑚
Absorption of ammonia in water:
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝐻𝐴 = 1.76 × 10−2
𝑙𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑡𝑚

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Overall mass-transfer coefficient
• By defining a liquid phase concentration:
𝑐𝐴∗ = 𝐻𝐴 𝑝𝐴𝑏
• One can obtain:
𝑁𝐴 = 𝐾𝐿 𝑐𝐴∗ − 𝑐𝐴𝑏
• And by comparison:
1 𝐻𝐴 1
= +
𝐾𝐿 𝑘𝑝 𝑘𝑐
• KL is called the overall mass-transfer coefficient based on the
liquid phase.
• When 1∕kc ≫ HA ∕kp , the resistance of the gas phase is negligible
and the rate of mass transfer is controlled by the liquid phase.
• Alternatively derive an equation for overall mass transfer
coefficient based on the gas phase: KG
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Dimensionless analysis
• Mass transfer coefficients are correlated by means of dimensionless numbers:
• For forced convection:
𝑆ℎ = 𝑓(𝑅𝑒, 𝑆𝑐)
• For natural convection:
𝑆ℎ = 𝑓 𝐺𝑟, 𝑆𝑐
Sh: Sherwood number
𝑘𝑐 𝐿
𝑆ℎ =
𝐷𝐴𝐵
Re: Reynolds number
Sc: Schmidt number
𝜈
𝑆𝑐 =
𝐷𝐴𝐵
Gr: Grashof number

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Flow over flat plate
• For flow over a flat plate the following correlation is proposed:
𝑆ℎ = 0.664 𝑅𝑒 0.5 𝑃𝑟 0.333
• Example:
• Air at 1 atm and 100°C flows across a thin, flat plate of naphthalene that is 1 m
long, causing the plate to sublime. The Reynolds number at the trailing edge of
the plate is at the upper limit for a laminar boundary layer. Estimate the average
rate of sublimation in kmol/s-m2

• Physical properties are:

• Vapour pressure of naphthalene = 10 torr
• Viscosity of air = 0.0215 cP
• Molar density of air = 0.0327 kmol/m3
• Diffusivity of naphthalene in air = 0.94 x10-5 m2/s