CIVE / CBE 540

Mass Balances

Sybil Sharvelle
Thinking Question

What is the governing equation for a mass

balance?
 Mass Balances

Conservation of mass
Mass is neither created nor destroyed
Mass input = Mass output
[Accumulation] = [Input] [Reaction] [Output]

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Mass Balances
[Accumulation] = [Input] [Reaction] [Output]

Accumulation = dC1V
Input = QCodt
Reaction = Vrdt
Output = QC1dt
Q = Flow (volume/time)
C = Concentration (mass/volume)
V = Volume (volume)
r = reaction (mass/volume-time)
t = time (time)

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Mass Balances

dC1V = QCodt Vrdt QC1dt

Accumulation = dC1V
(mass/volume)(volume) = mass
Input = QCodt
(volume/time)(mass/volume)(time) = mass
Reaction = Vrdt
(volume)(mass/volume-time)(time) = mass
Output = QC1dt
(volume/time)(mass/volume)(time) = mass

5
Mass Balances

Develop a differential equation to represent

system
Board notes

6
Relation to Monod Kinetics
qS
rut Xa
K S
rut rate of substrate utilizatio n (ML-3T 1 )
q maximum specific rate of substrate utilizatio n
K half saturation constant (M/L3 )
S substrate concentrat ion (M/L3 )
X a biomass concentrat ion (M/L3 )

How would you define k?

-r = kC1
 Example
Wastewater flows into a completely mixed reactor at a flow
rate of 5 MGD and has a concentration of component A of
100 mg/L. The liquid retention time in the reactor is 10 hours.
Effluent from the reactor is recycled at a flow rate of 3 MGD.
The removal constant for component A in the system is 0.5 hr-
1. What is the concentration of component A in the reactor

effluent?

Q = 5 MGD
Q = 5 MGD Q=? = 10 hours
C=? CA = ? C=?
C = 100 mg/L
Q = 3 MGD
C=?

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Example
2 Unknowns, Need 2 Equations

Q = 5 MGD
Q = 5 MGD Q=? = 10 hours
C=? CA = ? CA = ?
C = 100 mg/L

Q = 3 MGD
CA = ?
Example

1
Q = 5 MGD 3 Q=?
C = 100 mg/L C=?

2
Q = 3 MGD
C=?

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Example

Q = 5 MGD
Q = 5 MGD Q=? = 10 hours
C=? CA = ? C=?
C = 100 mg/L

Q = 3 MGD
C=?

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Example

Q3 = 8MGD Q3 = 8MGD
= 10 hours
CA = ? CA = ?
C3 = ?
k = 0.5 hr-1

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Thinking Question

What is the governing equation for a mass

balance?