Mapua Institute of Technology School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Heat and Mass Transfer Exam No 5

CHHK 445: HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER

Exam No 5: Diffusion
1.5 hrs

I. Multiple Choice (30 points)

Direction: Write the letter that corresponds to the best answer on the space provided. Answers must be
written in CAPITAL letters.

______1. Fick’s law of molecular diffusion accounts for the transport of mass as a result of
A. concentration differences. C. velocity differences.
B. convection differences. D. density differences.

______2. Which of the following fluxes accounts for the both concentration gradient contribution and bulk
motion contribution to molecular diffusion?
A. flux relative to molar average velocity C. flux relative to volume average vellocity
B. flux relative to mass average velocity D. flux relative to a fixed coordinate

______3. The type of diffusion for binary systems where both components are diffusing at equal rates
but in the opposite direction is
A. unimolar diffusion. C. equimolar counterdiffusion
B. one way diffusion D. steady-state diffusion

______4. In general, the driving force to mass transfer is

A. temperature gradient. C. difference in chemical potential.
B. concentration gradient. D. change in pressure.

______5. It is the type of molecular mass transfer where the molecule-to-wall interaction is more
important that molecule-to-molecule collision
A. Fickian diffusion C. Knudsen diffusion
B. Non-Fickian diffusion D. Hookean diffusion

______6.Using the Fuller-Schettler-Giddings Correlation, the diffusivity (cm2/s) of carbon disulfide in

nitrogen gas at 2 atm and 30°C is _________. Atmoic diffusion volumes: C = 16.5; S = 17.0; N =
5.69
A. 0.1220 C. 0.0145
B. 0.1765 D. 0.0610

______7. In equimolar counter diffusion in liquids, the diffusivity of species A in liquid B is equal to the
diffusivity of B in A.
A. True B. False

______8. When a gas phase reaction 2A → 3B (- rA = kA CA1.75) occurs instantaneously on the surface
of a non-porous solid catalyst, the mass transfer flux is a function of the following, except
A. thickness of the diffusive film. C. diffusivity.
B. total pressure. D. specific rate constant, kA.

______9. In general, it is easiest to transport a solute in a

A. gaseous system. C. pure liquid system.
B. aqueous solution. D. porous solid.

______10. Helium is diffusing in a bed of sand which is 90% porous. The pores inside the bed are
saturated with stagnant air. In the computation of the flux, the definition of DAB is
A. diffusivity of sand in air. C. diffusivity of He in sand.
B. diffusivity of He in air. D. diffusivity of He and air in sand.

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Mapua Institute of Technology School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Heat and Mass Transfer Exam No 5

______11. For multi-component mass transfer, the general equation that describes the diffusion of a
component with respect to other component is
A. Fick’s First law. C. Fourier’s equation.
B. Stefan-Maxwell equation. D. Newton’s law.

______12. If the resistance to molecular diffusion approaches zero, what will happen to the diffusivity?
A. also approach zero C. approach infinity
B. remains the same D. become infinitesimal

______13. The molecular diffusion of a gas can happen

A. only in another gas. C. in solid and liquids.
B. in liquids only. D. in solids, liquids, and gases.

For # 14-15 Hydrogen acetate vapor is diffusing through a stagnant film of nitrogen gas under steady-state
conditions at a total pressure of 1.5 x 105 N/m2 and temperature of 32°C. The diffusivity of
hydrogen acetate in nitrogen at this condition is 0.0855 cm2/s.

______14. What is the diffusivity of (cm2/s) of hydrogen acetate in nitrogen at 1.5 x 105 N/m2 and 25°C?
A. 0.0555 C. 0.0890
B. 0.0821 D. 0.1317

______15. What is the diffusivity of (cm2/s) of nitrogen in hydrogen acetate at 1.5 x 105 N/m2 and 25°C?
A. 0.0821 C. 0.0855
B. 0.0890 D. none of these

II. Problem Solving

Direction: Solve the following problems on your test booklet. Highlight the final answers.

1. Ammonia gas diffuses at a constant rate through 1 mm of stagnant air (25°C, 1atm). Ammonia is
50%v at one boundary. The gas diffusing to the other boundary is rapidly absorbed. Determine
the rate of diffusion of ammonia if its concentration at the second boundary is negligible. Diffusivity
of ammonia in air at 295 K and 1 atm is 0.18 cm2s. (15 points)

2. An ethanol (A)-water (B) solution in the form of a stagnant film of 2.0-mm thick at 293 K is in
contact at one surface with an organic solvent in which ethanol is soluble and water is insoluble. At
point 1, the concentration of ethanol is 24.7% wt (density = 960.64 kg/m 3). At point 2, the
concentration of ethanol is 11% wt (density = 981.67 kg/m3). If the diffusivity of ethanol is 0.74 x
10-9 m2/s, calculate the diffusion flux of ethanol (kgmol/s-m2). (15 points)

3. Hydrogen gas at 2 atm and 27°C is flowing in a neoprene tube 3.0 mm in inside diameter and 11
mm in outside diameter. Calculate the leakage of H2 through a tube 1.0 m long in kg mol/ s at
steady state. Diffusivity of H2 = 0.180 x 10-9 m2/s and Solubility = 0.053 m3(at STP)/ m3 soilid-atm.
(20 points)

4. A solid rectangular block (10.16 mm thick in the x direction, 7.62 mm thick in the y direction, and
10.16 mm thick in the z direction) of 5.15 wt% agar gel at 278 K ``contains a uniform concentration
of urea 0.1 kgmol/m3. The block is suddenly immersed in pure turbulent water so that the surface
resistance can be assumed to be negligible. The diffusivity of urea in the agar is 4.72 x 10-10 m2/s.
Calculate the concentration at the midpoint of the block after 10 hr if diffusion occurs at all six
faces. (20 points)

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