TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

Books Recommended:

• “Transport Phenomena” by R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart,

and E. N. Lightfoot
• Momentum, Heat, and Mass Transfer” by C. O.
Bennett, and J. E. Myers
• “Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat, and Mass
Transfer” by J. R. Welty, C. E. Wicks, R. E. Wilson,
and G. Rorrer
• “Transport Phenomena: A Unified Approach” by R.
S. Brodkey, and H. C. Hershey
ChE-307: Transport Phenomena
(1) Viscosity and the mechanism of momentum transport
(2) Velocity distributions in laminar flow
(3) The equations of change for isothermal systems
(4) Velocity distribution with more than one independent variable
(5) Thermal conductivity and the mechanism of energy transport
(6) Temperature distribution in solids and in laminar flow
(7) The equations of change for non-isothermal systems
(8) Diffusivity and the mechanism of mass transport
(9) Concentration distribution in solids and in laminar flow
(10) The equations of change for multicomponent systems
What is Transport Phenomena?

• Transport phenomena is a well-developed branch of physics that have

many applications in applied science.
• A good knowledge of transport phenomena is essential for
understanding many processes in engineering.
• Transport phenomena are all irreversible processes originating from
the random continuous motion of the molecules, mostly observed in
fluids.
• They involve a net transfer of matter, energy or momentum in
thermodynamic systems which are not in equilibrium.
• The subject of transport phenomena includes three closely related
topics:
• Fluid dynamics (transport of momentum)
• Heat transfer (transport of energy)
• Mass transfer (transport of mass of various chemical species)

• Fluid dynamics deals with the transfer of momentum in a fluid.

• On a molecular scale that means that the molecules colliding with
each other transfer their momentum to other molecules.
• On a larger scale, these molecules colliding with each other
determine how the fluid is going to flow-that is, if it will just flow
smoothly (or 'laminar'), or if it will be rough (or 'turbulent').
• Heat Transfer deals with the transfer of heat.
• Typical methods of Heat Transfer are:
• Conduction: If you touch something hot, you get heat transfer via
conduction.
• Convection: If you hold your hand above a burner on a stove, the hot
air rising from the burner is moving heat via convection.
• Radiation: Stand in the sun. Now, move to the shade. The warmth
that you feel from the sun is heat transferred via radiation.
• Mass Transfer deals with the transfer of mass.
• One example of mass transfer is if you take a glass of water and put
one drop of red dye in it. Even if you don't stir the water, eventually
the water is all the same pinkish color. The study of how the dye
spreads out is Mass Transfer.
• These three transport phenomena should be studied together for the
following reasons:
• They frequently occur simultaneously in industrial problems.
• The basic equations that describe the three transport phenomena are
closely related.
• The mathematical tools needed for describing these phenomena are
very similar.
• The molecular mechanisms underlying the various transport
phenomena are very closely related.
THREE LEVELS AT WHICH TRANSPORT
PHENOMENA CAN BE STUDIED
• We can describe the transport of mass,
momentum, and energy at three
different levels
a) Macroscopic level
b) Microscopic level
c) Molecular level

• In Fig. 0.2-1 we show a schematic

diagram of a large system-for example,
a large piece of equipment through
which a fluid mixture is flowing.
Macroscopic level

• We write down a set of equations called the "macroscopic balances,"

which describe how the mass, energy, and momentum in the system
change because of the introduction and removal of these entities via
the entering and leaving streams, and because of various other inputs
to the system from the surroundings.
• No attempt is made to understand all the details of the system.
• In studying an engineering system it is a good idea to start with this
macroscopic description in order to make a global assessment of the
problem; in some instances it is only this overall view that is needed.
Microscopic level

• At the microscopic level (Fig. 0.2-lb) we examine what is happening to

the fluid mixture in a small region within the equipment.
• We write down a set of equations called the "equations of change,"
which describe how the mass, momentum and energy change within
this small region.
• The aim here is to get information about velocity, temperature,
pressure, and concentration profiles within the system.
• This more detailed information may be required for the
understanding of some processes.
Molecular level

• At the molecular level (Fig. 0.2-lc) we seek a fundamental understanding of

the mechanisms of mass, momentum, and energy transport in terms of
molecular structure and intermolecular forces.
• This is particularly true if the processes being studied involve complex
molecules, extreme ranges of temperature and pressure, or chemically
reacting systems
• These three levels of description involve different "length scales“
• For example, in a typical industrial problem, at the macroscopic level the
dimensions of the flow systems may be of the order of centimeters or
meters;
• Microscopic level involves what is happening in the micron to the
centimeter range;
• Molecular level problems involve ranges of about 1 to 1000 nanometers.
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Importance of transport phenomena
in a Chemical Engineering

• In order to put the role of transport

phenomena in chemical engineering into
perspective, consider the diagram.
• The chemical reactor is shown as a focal
point of the field of chemical engineering.
• Surrounding it are the various engineering
subjects which are connected intimately
with reactor engineering: separation and
mixing processes, heat transfer operations,
catalysis, fluid and particle dynamics,
instrumentation and control, and materials
of construction.
• These subjects are clearly essential to the
design and operation of a chemical reactor.
• In the next layer of subjects we list the
"engineering sciences" which are needed in
various ways for understanding and further
developing the core engineering subjects
• These engineering sciences, which are
themselves interrelated, form the basis for
the analytical and numerical description of
the chemical reactor and its outer
equipment.
• For example, the subject of transport
phenomena can be used to analyze
diffusion-controlled reactions, separation
schemes, thermal processes, flow patterns
in reacting systems, diffusion in porous
media, and other problems connected with
reactor engineering.