TUTORIAL – 1

Instructor: Prof. Bishnupada Mandal

Course No.: CL 205 Course Name: Mass Transfer Operation I Date: 25.01.2017

P1: Molecules of hydrogen chloride (HCl) diffuse through a thin, static film of water
4.0 mm thick at 10°C. The concentration of HCl at one boundary of the film is
12.0% w/w HCl (density = 1060.7 kg/m3), and at the other boundary is 6.0% w/w
HCl (density = 1030.3 kg/m3). The diffusion coefficient of HCl in water is 2.5 ×
10-9 m2/s. Assuming steady state and one boundary impermeable to water,
calculate the flux of HCl using both exact and dilute formulae. Does the dilute
formula approximate well to the exact one here?

P2: A solution of ammonia in water at 5°C and 2.5 mm thick is in contact at one
surface with an organic liquid at this interface. The concentrations of ammonia in
the organic and bulk water phase are both held constant, and aqueous
concentrations of ammonia are 10% and 2.0% w/w at the respective interfaces
(giving solution densities of 991.7 and 961.7 kg/m3 respectively). Water is
soluble in the organic phase. The diffusion coefficient of NH3 in water is 1.24 ×
10-9 m2/s. Calculate the steady state flux of ammonia.

P3: Water in the bottom of a narrow metal tube is held at constant temperature T. The
total pressure of air (assumed dry) is P and the temperature is T. Water evaporates
and diffuses through the air. At a given time t, the level is Z meter from the top.
As diffusion proceeds, the level drops slowly. Derive the equation of time tF for
the level to drop from a starting point of Zo meter at t = 0 to ZF at t = tF.

P4: A drop of liquid toluene is kept at a uniform temperature of 298.9 K and is

suspended in air by a fine wire. The initial radius of the drop is 3.00 mm and the
density of liquid toluene is 866 kg/m3.
Antoine coefficient A B C
Toluene 6.95464 1424.255 219.482
a. Derive an equation to predict the time tF for the drop to evaporate completely in
a large volume of still air. Show all steps.
b. Calculate the time in seconds for complete evaporation.
Solution to Problem – 1:

The exact formula for diffusion of A through a stagnant layer of liquid B in mole
fractions is:

The molecular weights are MHCl =35.6 and Mwater = 18 kg/kmol:

The molecular weights of the two solutions can now be found as follows:

1 kmol of solution at point 1 has (0.0630105  36.5) = 2.2998833 kg of HCl

1 kmol of solution at point 1 has (0.9369895  18) = 16.865811 kg of H2O
 1 kmol at point 1 weighs (16.865811+2.2998833) = 19.165694 kg
 M1 = 19.165694 kg/kmol

1 kmol of solution at point 2 has (0.0305170  36.5) = 1.1138705 kg of HCl

1 kmol of solution at point 2 has (0.9694830  18) = 17.450694 kg of H2O
 1 kmol at point 2 weighs (17.450694 + 1.1138705) = 18.564565 kg
 M2 = 18.564565 kg/kmol

i.e. flux is 1.181  10-6 kmol/m2s

Now compare this result to that of the simplified formula

CA1 = 0.0630105  1060.7 = 66.835237 kmol/m3

CA2 = 0.0305170  1030.3 = 31.441665 kmol/m3

i.e. flux is 2.212  10-6 kmol/m2s, nearly TWICE the flux if calculated accurately

Solution to Problem 2:

As water can travel through the film as well as ammonia (and in the opposite direction) we
have the rare (but not unknown) phenomenon of equimolar counterdiffusion in the liquid
phase.

To find the concentrations, we must take the weight fractions and densities from the
question, and also the molecular weights (MA = 17, MW = 18 kg/kmol):

i.e. flux is 2.452  10-6 kmol/m2s

Solution to Problem – 3:

Z0 2

Z (Z2-Z1)

ZF 1

 We assume a pseudo-steady since the level drops very slowly.

 As the time progresses, the path length Z increases.
 At any time t, the steady state equation holds, but the path length is Z. Thus the steady
state equation becomes as follows where NA and Z are now variables

DAB P PB2  PB1 PA1  PA2

NA  ( PA  PA2 ) Where PBM  
RT Z PBM 1 ln( PB2 / PB1 ) ln[( P  PA2 ) /( P  PA1 )]

 Assuming a cross sectional area of 1 m2, the level drops dZ meter in dt sec, and
ρA(dZ.1)/MA is the kgmol of A that has been left and diffused.

Then,
 A (dZ .1)
N A .1 
M A .dt

Equating the above two equations, rearranging and integrating

A F
Z
DAB P ( PA1  PA2 ) tF
M A Z0 0 dt
Z dZ 
RT PBM

 A (Z F2  Z02 ) RT PBM
or, tF 
2 M A DAB P ( PA1  PA2 )
Solution to Problem – 4:

We must return to the Fick's Law formula for:

a constant number of moles ÑA of A from a sphere (area = 4r2) through stagnant B

 P  -D dP NA
NA 1- A  = AB A where NA =
 Ptotal  RT dr 4πr 2
-RTNA dr dPA
  Ptotal
4πDAB r 2
Ptotal  PA

Integrating with limits of PA2 at r2 and PA1 at r1 gives:

-RTNA  1 2
r

 Ptotal   ln(Ptotal  PA )PA2

P
 
4πDAB  r  r1 A1

-RTNA  1 1   Ptotal  PA2 

     ln  
4πDABPtotal  r1 r2   Ptotal  PA1 

As r1 << r2, then 1/r2 ≈ 0:

RTNA  P P  P P
 ln  total A2   A1 A2
4πr1DABPtotal  Ptotal  PA1  PBM
NA DABPtotal (PA1  PA2 )
   NA1 , the flux at the surface
4πr12 RTPBM r1

Now consider the rate of change of the number of molecules in the sphere (evaporation) to
be equal to their diffusion into the outside world:
In time dt, radius of sphere changes by -dr
volume of sphere changes by -4 r2.dr
mass of sphere changes by -4Ar2.dr
flux of solute to air = NA1
molecular flow to air = 4 r2NA1
mass flow to air = 4 r2NA1MA = evaporation rate
This time, the limits are r = r1 at t = 0 and r = 0 at t = tF:

Using the Antoine data for toluene:

where PA1 is vapour pressure in mm of mercury and T is temperature in °C

 PA1 = 14.139 mmHg  1 885 Pa

 PB1 = 101325 - 1885 = 99 440 Pa
PA2 = 0 (from question)
 PB2 = 101325 - 0 = 101 325 Pa

MA = 6(12) + 8 (1) = 80 kg/kmol

A = 866 kg/m3 (from question)