POLYMER PROCESS ENGINEERING

Mass transfer phenomenon in polymers: Mass transfer coefficient

and dimensionless numbers

Prof. Shishir Sinha

Department of Chemical Engineering

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 Topic previously covered
• Steady state diffusion through constant area
• Steady state diffusion through non diffusing components
• Steady state diffusion through variable area
• Problem solving
• Diffusion from a sphere
• Equimolar counter diffusion

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 Table of content
• Mass transfer coefficient
• Types of mass transfer coefficient
• Equimolar counter diffusion of two components
• Relation between mass transfer coefficient
• Mass transfer coefficient and film thickness
• Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer

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 Mass transfer coefficient
The mass transfer coefficient is defined as:
• The rate of mass transfer is proportional to the concentration driving
force that is the difference in concentration.
• The rate of mass transfer is proportional to the area of contact between
the phases.
• If WA = Rate of mass transfer (kmol/s) of the solute A
ΔCA = Concentration driving force between two points
a = area of mass transfer

Where,
W aC
A A W = k aC
A C A
kC the proportionality constant known as mass transfer
coefficient
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 Mass transfer coefficient
• Consider, NA is the molar flux which is expressed in kmol/m2.s, we may
write:
WA = aN A = kC aC A ….. (1)
• Mass transfer coefficient :
NA
kC = = Molar flux/concentration driving force
C A
• The inverse of mass transfer coefficient is a measure
of the mass transfer resistance.
• If the driving force is expressed as the difference in
concentration that is kmol/m3
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 Mass transfer coefficient

• The unit of mass transfer coefficient would be m/s, which is the unit of
velocity.
• If the mass transfer coefficient is expressed as the ratio of the local flux and
the local driving force, then it is called the local mass transfer coefficient.

Local mass transfer coefficient = Local flux/Local driving force

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 Mass transfer coefficient

• When it is expressed as the ratio of the average flux (over a surface) and
the average driving force then it is known as average mass transfer
coefficient.

Average mass transfer coefficient = Average flux/Average driving force

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 Types of mass transfer coefficient
• Convective mass transfer can occur in a gas or in a liquid medium, but it
does not occur in the solid medium.
• A few choices of the driving force can be:

a) Difference in concentration
b) Difference in partial pressure
c) Difference in molar fraction

• But in case of the heat transfer the temperature

difference is the only driving force.

Brown G. G. and Associates, “Unit Operations”,1995, CBS Publishers.

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 Types of mass transfer coefficient
• Different type of mass transfer coefficient have been defined depending
upon:

a) whether the mass transfer occur in the gas phase or in the liquid phase.
b) choice of driving force
c) whether it is a case of diffusing of component A through non diffusing B or
whether it is a equimolar counter current diffusion or the counter diffusion.

• If the transport of mass occur through a stagnant film

of thickness δ, then:
Flux = mass transfer coefficient x driving force

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 Diffusion of A through non-diffusing B
• Mass transfer in gas phase:
N A = kG ( p A1 − p A2 ) = k y ( y A1 − y A2 ) = kC (C A1 − C A2 ) …..(2)
• kG, ky and kC are the gas phase mass transfer coefficient
• The unit of mass transfer coefficient ky is calculated from these flux
equation, which is kmol/m2.sΔy
• Δy stands for the driving force in mole fraction unit.
• Mass transfer in liquid phase:
N A = k x (x A1 − x A2 ) = k L (C A1 − C A2 )
….. (3)

• kx and kL are the liquid phase mass transfer

coefficient, subscript 1 and 2 are the two positions
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 Diffusion of A through non-diffusing B
• If the gas phase is ideal: the concentration term of eq 2 is given by:

CA= pA/RT

Where, pA is the partial pressure of A

• Suppose that the distance between the two locations 1 and 2 is δ (the film
thickness). The expression of mass transfer coefficient can be obtained by
comparing equation 2 with:

NA =
D AB Pt
( p A1 − p A2 ) …..(4)
RT (x2 − x1 ) p BLM
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 Diffusion of A through non-diffusing B
• The expression of mass transfer coefficient can be obtained by comparing
equation 3 with
 
D   ….. (5)
 M avg  ( x − x )
AB
NA = A1 A2
l. X BLM
Where,
XBLM = Logarithmic mean molar fraction of species B

X BLM =
(xB 2 − xB1 )
x 
ln B 2 
 x B1 

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 Diffusion of A through non-diffusing B
• Gas phase : DAB Pt DAB Pt 2 D P …. (6)
kG = , ky = , kC = AB t
RT . p BLM RT . p BLM  . p BLM
• The relation among the three types of gas phase mass transfer coefficient that
is kG, ky and kC among these 3 can easily be obtained from eq (6)
DAB   
• Liquid phase:  M  avg DAB ….. (7)
kx = , kL =
 . X BLM  . X BLM
• The relation between the two types of liquid phase
mass transfer we can obtained from kx and kL relations

• kC= RTkG ky= PtkG kx=(ρ/M)avgkL

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 Equimolar counter diffusion of components
• The set of notations for mass transfer coefficient are used here with a sign
of prime(').
N
• Gas phase: A = k '
G ( p A1 − p A2 ) = k '
y ( y A1 − y A2 ) = k C (C A1 − C A 2 )
'

…..(8)
• Liquid phase: N A = k (x A1 − x A2 ) = k (C A1 − C A2 )
' '
x L
….. (9)

• Comparing eq 8 and 9 for gas-phase transport, we get

NA =
DAB Pt
( y A1 − y A2 ) = DAB ( p A1 − p A2 ) …. (10)
R.T .l R.T .l
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 Equimolar counter diffusion of components
• Comparing eq 8 and 9 for liquid-phase transport, we get
 
D AB    Here, l = δ (thickness of film)
 M avg 
NA = (x A1 − x A2 ) ….. (11)
l

• Therefore, following are the expressions for mass transfer coefficient:

D AB ' D AB Pt ' D AB
• Gas phase: k =
'
,ky = , kC =
RT  
G
RT

D AB   
• Liquid phase:  M  avg D AB
k x' = , k L' =
 
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 Equimolar counter diffusion of components
• If the concentration of A is expressed in mole ratio unit, the mass transfer
coefficient kY and kX are expressed as:

Conversion: NA = kY (YA1 – YA2) for gas phase

and
NA = kX (XA1 – XA2) for the liquid phase
Where,
YA and XA are the concentration of A in the gas or in the
liquid phase in mole ratio unit,
yA xA
Note that YA = ,XA =
1 − yA 1 − xA
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 Different types of mass transfer coefficient
• The former mass transfer coefficient (kG, ky, kC, kx and kL ) are inherently
associated with the log mean concentration of the other species B which is
non-diffusing.

• Accordingly, this type of mass transfer coefficient has a dependence on

concentration because of the term pBLM or XBLM. This dependence can
however, be ignored at low concentration of component.

• On the contrary, the coefficient kG', ky', kC', kx' and

kL' do not have dependence on concentration.
• The second type of mass transfer coefficient or like kC'
is called Colburn Drew mass transfer coefficient.
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Relation between kG and ky

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Relation between kG and ky

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Relation between kG and ky

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Relation between kG' and ky'

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Relation between kG' and ky'

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 Relation between kG' and ky'
• Conversion among the gas phase mass transfer coefficient, we can write:

pBLM ' Pt
F = kG pBLM = ky = kG Pt = k y = kC
' '

Pt RT
• Conversion among the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient we can write:


F = k x X BLM = k L X BLM C = k C = k
'
L
'
L = k x'
M

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 Values of mass transfer coefficient and film thickness
• For gas phase mass transfer coefficient, kC ~ 10-2 m/s and the film
thickness δ ~1 mm.

• For liquid phase mass transfer coefficient, kC ~10-5 m/s and the film
thickness δ ~0.1 mm.

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 Problem-1
Question: Large volume of nitrogen gas (N2) at atmospheric pressure is
flowing over a pool of liquid of methanol, which is evaporating. Nitrogen is
assumed to be insoluble in liquid. The gas phase mass transfer coefficient of
methanol which is kG is 2 x10-5 kmol/m2.s kPa. Assume vapour pressure of
methanol at 298 K is 10 kPa. Calculate ky, kC, kY and F.

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The transport coefficient and other important parameters such as fluid
properties, velocity etc. can be expressed in terms of meaningful
dimensionless groups.

Examples:

a) The heat transfer coefficient h is often expressed in terms of the Nusselt

number, Reynolds number and Prandtl number.

b) Experimental forced convection heat transfer data

are frequently correlated as:
Nu = ϕ(Re, Pr)
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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The resulting correlation may be used to estimate the heat transfer
coefficient for any other set of process conditions and system parameters.

• The most important equations which relates the Nusselt number with the
Reynolds number and Prandtl number is the Dittus-Boelter equation.

• Here we have two most important dimensionless group:

a) The Sherwood number which is the mass transfer

analogue of the Nusselt number.
b) The Schmidt number which is the mass transfer
analogue of the Prandtl number
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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The origin of Sherwood and Schmidt can be traced by analogy with
Nusselt and Prandtl number respectively.
• In heat transfer the Nusselt number is

Nu = Convective heat flux

Heat flux for conduction
through a stagnant medium of thickness
l for the same ΔT

h T hl where k= thermal conductivity

Nu =
( )
k T
l
=
k

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• Similarly, in mass transfer the Sherwood number is :

Sh = Convective mass (molar) flux

Mass or molar flux for molecular
diffusion through a stagnant medium of thickness l
under the driving force of ΔpA

• So, if we considered a gas phase, mass transfer of A

through a binary mixture of A and B in which we
considered B is not diffusing.
Convective mass flux = kGΔpA

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The mass flux due to molecular diffusion of A through non-diffusing B we
have derived as : DAB Pt
p A
R.T .l. pBLM
Then,
kC p A k p R.T .l kC l. pBLM
Sh = = C BLM =
DAB Pt DAB Pt DAB Pt
p A
R.T .l. pBLM
• If we considered transport of A in a liquid solution at a
rather low concentration (XBLM = 1),

Convective mass flux, NA = kLΔCA

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The diffusive flux of A through a stagnant liquid layer of thickness l is:
DAB
C A
l k L C A k Ll
• Then, the Sherwood number is : Sh = =
 D AB C D AB
  A
 l 
Here, l is the characteristic length

• The commonly used characteristics lengths are:

a) For a sphere: diameter, d

b) For a cylinder: diameter, d
c) For a flat plate: distance from the leading edge, x
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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The Schmidt number is the mass transfer analogue of Prandtl number.
• We define Prandtl number as :

Pr = Momentum diffusivity  C P .
Pr = =
Thermal diffusivity k k
 .C P
• Analogously we can define the Schmidt number as:

Sc = Momentum diffusivity   
Molecular diffusivity Sc = = =
DAB  .DAB DAB

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• Schmidt number also represents the relative order of magnitude of the
thickness of concentration boundary layer in comparison with that of the
velocity boundary layer.

• Taking the case of gas phase mass transfer for flow past a sphere, 2 cm in
diameter, at low partial pressure of the solute (i.e., pBLM/Pt ~ 1)

• The Sherwood number is:

Sh =
kC d . p BLM
=
( ) (
10−2 m / s  2  10−2 m )
DAB Pt 10−5 m 2 / s
Sh~20
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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The Schmidt number may be found to be :

 10−5 m 2 / s
Sc = = −5 2
DAB 10 m / s

Therefore, Sc ~ 1

• For common gasses, Pr ≈ Sc ≈ 1.0

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• For liquid phase mass transport in a similar geometry:

Sh =
kLd

( ) (
10−2 m / s  2  10−2 m ) Sh ~ 200
DAB 10−9 m 2 / s

 10−6 m 2 / s
Sc = = −9 2 Sc ~ 1000
DAB 10 m / s
• For common liquids except for liquid metals:

10 < Pr < 102

400 < Sc < 104

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The Stanton number for the mass transfer which is analogue of the
Stanton number for the heat transfer.
• We define the Stanton number for heat transfer as :

StH = Convective heat flux

Heat flux due to bulk flow

h.l
hT k Nu
St H = = =
C P  T ( .l. /  )(C P  / k ) Re . Pr

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• Analogously, we define the Stanton number for the mass transfer as :

StM = Convective mass flux

Flux due to bulk flow of the medium

StM =
k L C
=
(k L l / D AB )
=
Sh
C ( .l. /  )( /  .DAB ) Re .Sc

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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• The Peclet number for the mass transfer which is analogue of the Peclet
number in case of the heat transfer.
• We define Peclet number in case of heat transfer as:

PeH = Heat flux due to bulk flow

Flux due to conduction across
a thickness l

C p . . .T  .l.  C P . 
Pe H = =    = Re . Pr
(k / l )T    k 
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 Dimensionless numbers in mass transfer
• Analogously, we define the Peclet number for the mass transfer as:

PeM = Flux due to bulk flow of the medium

Diffusive flux across a thickness l

C
Pe M = = ( .l. /  )( /  .D ) = Re .Sc
(DAB / l )C

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 References
• Fundamental of Heat and Mass Transfer, Incropera and Dewitt, 5th Edn.,John Wiley & Sons.
• Basmadjian D., “Mass Transfer and Separation Processes: Principles and Applications”,
2007, CRC Press
• Treybal R.E., “Mass Transfer Operation”, 3rd Ed., 1980, McGraw Hill.
• McCabe W.L., Smith J.C. and Harriott P., “Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering”, 6th
Ed., 2001, McGraw Hill
• Foust A. S., Wenzel L. A., Clump C. W., Maus L. and Andersen L.B., “Principles of Unit
Operations”, 2nd Ed., 2008,Wiley-India.
• Brown G. G. and Associates, “Unit Operations”,1995, CBS Publishers.
• Wankat P. C., “Separation Process Engineering”, 2nd Ed., 2006,
Prentice Hall.
• R. Taylor and R. Krishna, Multicomponent Mass Transfer, John
Wiley & Sons Inc. Edition 1st, 1993
• J. A. Wesselingh and R. Krishna, Mass Transfer in Multicomponent
Mixtures, Delft Academic Press. Edition 1st, 2000.
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Thank You

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