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Mass Transfer and Diffusion Coefficient

This report summarizes an experiment to determine the liquid diffusion coefficient of acetone in air. The experiment uses an apparatus with a glass capillary tube filled with acetone suspended in a thermostatic water bath. The height of the acetone in the tube is measured over time as it evaporates into the surrounding air stream. Fick's laws of diffusion are described and an equation is provided to calculate the diffusion coefficient from the experimental data collected. Results of the experiment include a table with the acetone height, time, and liquid evaporation level. The standard diffusion coefficient of acetone in air is provided for comparison.

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Siraj AL sharif
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590 views7 pages

Mass Transfer and Diffusion Coefficient

This report summarizes an experiment to determine the liquid diffusion coefficient of acetone in air. The experiment uses an apparatus with a glass capillary tube filled with acetone suspended in a thermostatic water bath. The height of the acetone in the tube is measured over time as it evaporates into the surrounding air stream. Fick's laws of diffusion are described and an equation is provided to calculate the diffusion coefficient from the experimental data collected. Results of the experiment include a table with the acetone height, time, and liquid evaporation level. The standard diffusion coefficient of acetone in air is provided for comparison.

Uploaded by

Siraj AL sharif
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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(UNIT OPERATIONS LABORATORY-2)

Report (3) about:

MASS TRANSFER AND DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT

Directed by :

NAME : SIRAJ ALI ALDEEB


ID : 3214118

Supervised by :

MRS : SUAAD RAMADAN

)2018-2019(

Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 1


1 Introduction

Mass transfer is the net movement of mass from one location, usually meaning a
stream, phase, fraction or component, to another. Mass transfer occurs in many
processes, such as absorption, evaporation, adsorption, drying, precipitation,
membrane filtration, and distillation. Mass transfer is used by different scientific
disciplines for different processes and mechanisms. The phrase is commonly used
in engineering for physical processes that involve diffusive and convective
transport of chemical species within physical systems.

Mass transfer is often coupled to additional transport processes, for instance in


industrial cooling towers. These towers couple heat transfer to mass transfer by
allowing hot water to flow in contact with hotter air and evaporate as it absorbs
heat from the air.

mass transfer coefficient is a diffusion rate constant that relates the mass


:transfer rate, mass transfer area, and concentration change as driving force

:Where

 kc is the mass transfer coefficient [mol/(s·m2)/(mol/m3)], or m/s


  is the mass transfer rate [mol/s]
 A is the effective mass transfer area [m2]
ΔCA is the driving force concentration difference [mol/m3].

Fick's Law of Diffusion describe diffusion and were derived by Adolf Fick in


1855. They can be used to solve for the diffusion coefficient, D. Fick's first law
can be used to derive his second law which in turn is identical to the diffusion
equation

Fick's first law relates the diffusive flux to the concentration under the


assumption of steady state. It postulates that the flux goes from regions of high
concentration to regions of low concentration, with a magnitude that is
proportional to the concentration gradient (spatial derivative), or in simplistic
terms the concept that a solute will move from a region of high concentration to a
Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 2
region of low concentration across a concentration gradient. In one (spatial)
dimension, the law is:

∂ CA
J=−D (1)
∂Z

Where;

; is the molar diffusion flux (amount of substance per unit area per unit time,
kmole/ (m2.s)).   measures the amount of substance that will flow through a
small area during a small time interval.
D; is the constant diffusion coefficient or diffusivity in dimensions of (m2/s).

∂C A kmol /m3
mass concentration of component A gradient ∈Z −direction ,
∂Z m

Note: The negative sign indicates that flow is from high to low concentration.

1.1-Objective:

To determine the liquid diffusion coefficient of Acetone solution in air.

2 Theory

Mass transfer occurs when a component in a mixture migrates in the same phase
or from phase to phase because of a difference in concentration between two
points e.g. liquid in an open pail of water evaporates into still air because of the
difference in concentration of water vapor at the water surface and the
surrounding air. This is a driving force from surface to air.
There are two different modes of mass transfer, namely diffusion and convection.
Diffusion is the movement under the influence of an individual component
through a mixture and the physical mechanism is that of random atomic or
molecular activity. The convection mass transfer mode is comprised of two
mechanisms as free and forced convection.

Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 3


Free convection mass transfer involves thermally driven free convection flows
which enhance free evaporation or sublimation occurring at a surface. In many
cases, the rate of diffusion is slow, and more rapid mass transfer is desired. In the
case of forced convection mass transfer, the flow is induced by external means
such as a fan, pump or atmospheric winds etc.
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula OC(CH3) 2. This colorless,
mobile, flammable liquid is the simplest example of the ketones. Owing to the
fact that acetone is miscible with water, and virtually all organic solvents, it
serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically the solvent of choice for
cleaning purposes in the laboratory. More than 3 billion kilograms are produced
annually, mainly as a precursor to polymers.
Acetone is a good solvent for most plastics and synthetic fibers including those
used in Nalgene bottles made of polystyrene, polycarbonate and some types of
polypropylene.
Standard value for Diffusion coefficient of acetone in air is 0.124 cm2/s
To determine the diffusivity of Acetone in air use the following equation;

t ρ L C Bm ρL C Bm
= ( L−Lo ) + ( L ) →(2)
L−Lo 2 M A D AB C A C T M A D AB C A CT o

Where;

t = time in second.

L = the high of the liquid at time t, (m).

Lo = the high of the liquid at time t=0, (m).

ρ L = liquid density.

MA, MB = molecular weight of material A and B respectively.

CT = total molar concentration.

CBm = log mean concentration difference of component B.

Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 4


C B 1−C B 2
C Bm= →(3)
CB1
ln ⁡( )
CB2

CA = molar concentration of component A, (kmole/m3).

DAB = diffusivity coefficient of component A in B, (m2/s).

2.1- Composition of apparatus:

Figure (1): Apparatus for the study of the gaseous diffusion coefficient.

 Electric control panel.


 Transparent tank.
 Micrometer.
 Air pump.
 Thermostatic bath (Plexiglas tank).
 Heating resistance.
 Glass capillary tube.
 Hoffman clamp.
 Thermostatic probe.
 Heating resistance switch.
 Circuit breaker.
Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 5
 Thermostat display.
 Heating resistance led.
 Main switch.
 Air switch.
 Air outlet.

3 Start-up:

1. Place the plug into the socket; the electric supply is single phase, 220v.
2. Fill the Plexiglas tank with water: you can use water from main.
3. Fill the capillary glass tube with the test liquid.
4. Turn on the heating resistance.
5. Turn on the air pump.

The unit is ready for the test.

4 Calculation and results:

t/(L-L0) Height of liquid Final liquid level, Time (min)


evaporation(L-L0) L(mm)
0 0 60 0
1 5 55 5
0.625 16 44 10
0.75 20 40 15
0.83 24 36 20

Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 6


References :

1. Book (2008). Perry's Chemical Engineers Handbook. Green &


Perry. 8th Ed.

Chemical & Petroleum Eng. Dept 7

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