ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

Kenneth M. Soriano
Tumolva
201490192

Dr. Terence P.

Laminar flow in a narrow slit (see Fig. 2B.3).

(a) A Newtonian fluid is laminar flow in a narrow slit formed by two parallel walls
a distance 2B apart. It is understood that B<<W, so that edge effects are
unimportant. Make a differential momentum balance, and obtain the
following expressions for the momentum-flux and velocity distributions:

In these expressions

P= p+ gh=pgz .

(b) What is the ratio of the average velocity to the maximum velocity for this
flow?
(c) Obtain the slot analog of the Hagen-Poiseuille equation
(d) Draw a meaningful sketch to show why the above analysis is inapplicable if B
= W.
(e) How can the result in (b) be obtained from the results of 2.5

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

Given:

Required:
Solution:
From figure above, thickness of a system is x, length L, and listing the various
distributions to the momentum balance in the z-direction:

Rate of momentum in across slit surface at x

( WL xz ) x

Rate of momentum out across slit surface at x + x

( WL xz ) x+ x

(3)

Rate of momentum out across beam surface at z = L

( x W v z ) ( v z ) z =L

(2)

Rate of momentum in across beam surface at z = 0

( x W v z ) ( v z ) z =0

(1)

Gravity force acting on slit shell

(4)

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

( x WL ) g

Pressure force acting on beam surface at z = 0

( x W ) p0

(5)
(6)

Pressure force acting on beam surface at z = L

( x W ) p L

(7)

Momentum balance (assuming fluid is incompressible, v z is the same at z = 0 and z

= L):

( WL xz ) x ( WL xz ) x+ x +( x W v z ) ( v z ) z=0 ( x W v z )( v z ) z= L +( x WL ) g+ x W ( p0 p L )
Dividing the whole equation by WL x and take the limit as x goes to zero; this
gives:

lim

x 0

(
xz

xz x ( p0 p L )
=
+ g
x
L

x+ x

The expression on the left side is the definition of the first derivative

d xz p0 p L
=
+g
dx
L
The right hand side may be compactly and conveniently written by introducing the
modified pressure P, which is the sum of the pressure and gravitational terms. The
general definition of the modified pressure is P = p + gh, where h is the distance
upward (in the direction opposed to gravity) from a reference plane of choice. Since
the zaxis points downward in this problem, h = z and therefore P = p gz.
Thus, P0 = p0 at z = 0 and PL = pL gL at z = L giving p0 pL + gL = P0 PL.

d xz P0P L
=
dx
L

d xz =

P0 P L
dx
L

x+C Answe r ( a)
( P P
L )

xz =

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

Substituting Newton's law of viscosity for

xz =

xz in above equation gives

d vz
dx

d vz
P P L
= 0
x+ C1
dx
L

d vz
P P L
C
= 0
x 1
dx
L

d v z=

v z (x)=

P0 P L
L

xdx 1 dx

P 0P L 2 C 1
x x+ C2
2 L

Boundary Conditions:

x=0 ,

1) B.C. 1 @

v z=v max ,

d vz
=0
dx

0=0+C 1
Therefore

C1 =0

2) B.C. 2 @

x=B , v z=0(no slip condition)

3) B.C. 3 @

x=B , v z =0(no slip condition)

B +C
( P2P
L )

0=

Therefore

B
( P2P
L )

C2 =

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

P P
x +(
B
( P2P
)
L
2 L )

v z ( x)=

v z (x )=

) [ ( ) ] Answer ( a)

P0P L 2
x
B 1
2 L
B

The maximum velocity

v z ,max

at the middle of the slit occurs at

x=0

and has

the value:

v z ,max =

(P0 PL ) 2
B
2 L

Hence the ratio of the average to the maximum velocity is then:

vz
v z ,max

x
B

( )

=1

W B

v z 0 B
=
v z ,max

[ 1(x / B)2 ] dxdy

W

dxdy
0 B

( 12 ) d
v z 0
1
=
= 1

v z ,max

( 3)

v z
v z ,max

2
= Answer (b)
3

The mass flow rate (w) is the product of the density

(2BW) and the average velocity

v z

, the cross-sectional area

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

w= ( 2 B ) v z
since

2 (P0 PL ) 2
B
2 L

v z = 3 v z ,max = 3
Therefore

w= ( 2 B )

2 (P0P L ) 2
B
3 2 L

2 (P0P L ) B W
w=
Answer (c)
3
L
The flow rate vs. pressure drop (w vs. P) expression above is the slit analog
of the Hagen Poiseuille equation (originally for circular tubes). It is a result
worth noting because it provides the starting point for creeping flow in many
systems (e.g. radial flow between two parallel circular disks; and flow
between two stationary concentric spheres).
(d) The above analysis is not applicable if B = W, because of the presence of a wall
at y = 0 and y= B would cause vz to vary significantly in y in addition to x, then vz
= vz (x, y).
In Eq. 2.5-20, set both viscosities equal to , p0 - pL = P0 PL, and set b equal to B.
2

v z =

(P0P L )B
1 2 L

v z =

(P0P L )B2 2 ( P0P L ) B2 2 (P 0P L )B2

=
=
3 L
2
3 L
3
2 L

( 82 )

since

v z ,max =

(P0 PL ) 2
B
2 L

v z = 3 v z ,max

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

Insulation thickness for a furnace wall (Fig 10B.6). A furnace wall consists of
three layers; (1) a layer of heat resistant or refractory brick, (ii) a layer of insulating
brick, and (iii) a steel plate, 0.25 in. thick, for mechanical protection. Calculate the
thickness of each layer of brick to give minimum total wall thickness if the heat loss
through the wall is to be 5000 Btu/ft2-hr, assuming that the layers are in excellent
thermal contact. The following information is available;

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

Rate of Leaching (Fig 18B.9). In studying the rate of leaching of a substance A

from solid particles by a solvent B, we may postulate that the rate-controlling step is
the diffusion of A from the particle surface through a stagnant liquid film thickness

out into the main stream. The molar solubility of A in B is

concentration in the main stream is

c A .

c A 0 , and the

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

(a) Obtain a differential equation for

cA

as a function of z by making a mass

balance on A over a thin slab of thickness

z . Assume that

D AB

is

constant and that A is only slightly soluble in B. Neglect the curvature of the
particle.
(b) Show that, in the absence of chemical reaction in the liquid phase, the
concentration profile is linear.
(c) Show that the rate of leaching is given by

N A z=D AB

( c A 0c A )

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena

ChE 241 Transport Phenomena