Diffusion Mass Transfer-Lecture One-1

Mass Transfer 1B: Absorption
Mr L.B Moyo
[email protected]
OFFICE SD1
Consultation : Friday -1000-1200
Objectives
• Explain: Random Walk Movement for molecules and Fick's Law of
Molecular Diffusion
• Derive the Fick's Law Equation for Ideal Gas Mixture
• Explain Molecular Diffusion in a flowing fluid and understand the
general flow equation
• Understand Equimolar Counter-Diffusion Diffusion and Diffusion of
One Component in Another Stagnant (Non-diffusing) Component
• Derive the equation for Ideal Gas Mixture in which one component is
diffusing
• Understand molecular diffusion in liquids and the equations
Molecular Diffusion
• Molecular diffusion or molecular transport can be defined as the
transfer or movement of individual molecules through a fluid by
means of random, individual movements of the molecules. The
molecules travel only in straight lines and in the process, may collide
with other molecules in their path. The molecules then change
direction (still in a straight line) after the collision. This is sometimes
referred to as a random-walk process
Illustration of molecular diffusion
Diffusion
• Now consider a container with a mixture of 2 components A and B at
constant pressure P and constant temperature T as shown in the
Figure below. A fictitious partition c-c separates the container into 2
sections. The LHS contains more molecules of component A than the
RHS, and the reverse is true for the B
Molecular Diffusion
• Next consider what happens when the partition c-c is removed. The
molecules will move around in all directions in a random manner. But
since most of the A-molecules are to the left of c-c, more of the A-
molecules will travel from the LHS to the RHS than in the opposite
direction.
• This is the molecular diffusion of A in the direction of decreasing
concentration (i.e. from the region of high concentration to the
region of low concentration). At the same time there is also a net
diffusion of B from the RHS to the LHS. This diffusion continues until
the concentrations of A and B is uniform throughout.
Ficks Law of Diffusion
• Fick's Law stated that for the diffusion of component-A in a binary
mixture of A and B:
• The concentration gradient dCA /dz is the driving force for diffusion. The (-) showed that CA
decreases as z increases.
JA = molecular diffusion flux (kg-mole/m2.s)
diffusivity @ diffusion coefficient of A in a mixture
DAB =
of A and B (m2/s)
dcA/dz = concentration gradient (kg-mole.m-3/m)
Diffusion through bulk fluid
• Consider a bulk fluid of binary mixture A and B moving in the z-
direction as shown, with an average bulk fluid velocity V m/s, as
shown in the Figure below.
• Concentration of A at any point in the mixture is CA kg-mole/m3
• Movement of A is now due to 2 contributions
• Molecular diffusion JA = - DAB.(dcA/dz) (kg-mole/m2.s)
· Bulk movement of fluid CAV (kg-mole/m3. m/s)
• Total molar flux of A is : NA = JA + CAV
• Similarly for B: NB = JB + CBV
• Total molar flux of A and B: N = NA + NB
• Also, N = C V ; where C is the total molar concentration = CA + CB
Thus, by substituting for JA and V , we have for component-A:
This is the general equation describing mass transfer of component-A by diffusion

through moving bulk fluid. It allows one to calculate the mass transfer rate (molar flux,
e.g. in kg-mole/m2.s) between 2 points
Equimolar counter diffusion
• In equimolar counter-diffusion, the molar fluxes or A and B are equal,
but opposite in direction, and the total pressure is constant
throughout. Hence we can write: N = NA + NB = 0
• Note: pressure is caused by the collisions of molecules with the container wall. If the pressure is constant at
any point in the container, then it must be implied that the number of molecules acting on the wall at any
point is also constant. In other words, if certain amount of A has diffuse away, then they are replaced by the
same amount of B
• Under equimolar counter-diffusion, the diffusivity of A in B is the same as the
diffusivity of B in A, i.e. DAB = DBA
Fick's Law for Steady-State Equimolar Counter-Diffusion of Ideal Gas
Mixture:
• Consider 2-component gas mixture (A and B)

• Ideal Gas Law: Pv = nRT
• where P is the total pressure, and n is the total moles of gas
• For component-A: pAv = nART
• where pA is the partial pressure of A and nA is the moles of A
• Concentration of A:
• Differentiating with respect to distance z, we obtain
• Replacing into the original Fick's Law, we have an alternative equation

for ideal gas using partial pressure
• Under constant total pressure and temperature conditions, the above
equation for can be integrated over a diffusional path from z2 to z1 to
as follows:
• Integrate from pA1 to PA2, where pA1 is the partial pressure of A at

point 1 and pA2 is the partial pressure of A at point 2:
Thus we have, for steady-state equimolar counter-diffusion of ideal gas mixture:
Diffusion of One Component in Another Stagnant or Non-
Diffusing Component
• Case (a) shows the diffusion of benzene in air. Liquid benzene is
stored in a long tube, with one end of the tube exposed to air. The air
inside the tube is stagnant, and benzene is evaporating through this
stagnant air. The diffusion path is from point 1 at the gas-liquid
interface to point 2 at the edge of the tube, i.e. across the distance
( z2 - z1 ).
• Case (b) shows an ammonia-air mixture exposed to liquid water. The
ammonia diffuses through the gas mixture from point 1 in the bulk
gas phase to point 2 at the gas-liquid interface and eventually is being
absorbed into water. Air is assumed to be non-soluble in water, hence
it does not diffuse, i.e. it is the non-diffusing component. Again, the
diffusion path is the distance ( z2 - z1 )
The general equation is:
In this case, NB = 0, and the equation simplifies to

• Again, using the Ideal Gas equation, we have:
where pA is the partial pressure of A, and P is the total pressure
Differentiating with respect to distance z,

Ficks Law
• Show that for diffusion whereby only 1 component (say component A) is
diffusing the equation is as follows:
• The other component (i.e. component B) is stagnant or non-diffusing.

• Note: In the above equation the driving force for diffusion in the gas
phase is expressed in terms of partial pressure. Other measure of
concentration in the gas phase includes mole fraction, volume %, etc.

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Mass Transfer 1B: Absorption

This is the general equation describing mass transfer of component-A by diffusion

• Consider 2-component gas mixture (A and B)

• Replacing into the original Fick's Law, we have an alternative equation

• Integrate from pA1 to PA2, where pA1 is the partial pressure of A at

In this case, NB = 0, and the equation simplifies to

where pA is the partial pressure of A, and P is the total pressure

Differentiating with respect to distance z,

• The other component (i.e. component B) is stagnant or non-diffusing.

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