MASS TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Diffusion Coefficient
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 DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT OR DIFFUSIVITY OF GASES

• The constant of proportionality between molar flux and

concentration gradient in Fick’s equation is called diffusion
coefficient or diffusivity of gases
• Diffusivity is a property of the diffusing component and the
medium through which diffusion takes place
• Gas phase diffusivity depends on the temperature and pressure of
the system
• Diffusivity also depends on the presence of other components, the
intra-molecular forces in the mixture and the number of collisions
of the diffusing molecules with other molecules present in the
system 2
 DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT OR DIFFUSIVITY OF GASES
• The experimental values of binary diffusion coefficients for gas
mixtures are available in literature
• Diffusion coefficients for gases, typically of the order of 10-6 to
10-5 m2/s, are much higher than diffusion coefficients for liquids,
typically of the order of 10-10 to 10-9 m2/s
• Diffusion coefficients for solids are much lower and are
typically in the range of 10-14 to 10-10 m2/s.
• The gas phase diffusivity depends on temperature, pressure and
composition

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GAS PHASE DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT
(MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION)

Three methods for estimation of gas phase diffusion

coefficient
I. Twin bulb method

II. Use of Stefan tube

III. Predictive equations

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TWIN BULB METHOD

• The apparatus consists of two large bulbs or chambers of volumes

V1 and V2 connected by a narrow tube fitted with a plug valve or
stop cock.
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TWIN BULB METHOD
• Initially the valve is kept closed and the bulbs are evacuated
• One of the bulbs is flushed with pure A and other with pure B
and then filled with the gases at the same pressure P
• The valve is then opened to allow diffusion to start and continue
for some time, at the end of which valve is closed
• Samples of gases from the bulbs are taken and analyzed for their
composition
• Equiumolar counter diffusion through the connecting tube
occurs as the total pressure in the bulbs remain constant and
equal
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TWIN BULB METHOD
• For equimlar counter diffusion,

• If a is the inner cross section of the connecting tube, l is the length

and pA1 and pA2 (pA1 > pA2)are the partial pressures of A in the bulbs
at any time t, the steady state rate of mass transport of A from bulb
1 to bulb 2 is ,

-------(1)
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TWIN BULB METHOD
• If CA1 and CA2 are the concentration of A in bulbs

• Adding the above two equations,

• Putting the value of NA from equation 1,

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TWIN BULB METHOD

• Using the conditions,

• Integrating between the above limits,

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USE OF STEFAN TUBE
• This method is suitable when component A is a volatile liquid
and component B is a gas insoluble in A
• The apparatus consists of a vertical glass tube sealed at bottom
and joined to a larger diameter horizontal tube to form a tee

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USE OF STEFAN TUBE
• The volatile liquid A is taken in the vertical narrow tube and the
gas B is passed through the horizontal tube
• The liquid A evaporates and diffuses through the mixture of A
and B in the vertical tube, reaches the top and is swept away by
the flowing stream of gas B
• Gas B is insoluble in A and it is not diffusing
• The liquid level in vertical tube will drop very slowly with time
and it is noted
• At any time t, the liquid level be at a distance z from the top of
vertical tube, pA1 be the partial pressure of A at surface and pA2
at the top, then,
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USE OF STEFAN TUBE

• If fall in the liquid level is dz in a small time dt, the number of

moles of A that diffuse out is where a is the inner
cross section of the vertical tube
• For time dt,

• If at time t=0 the liquid level is at z0 from the top and at time
t’the liquid level is z’, integrating
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PREDICTIVE EQUATIONS FOR THE GAS PHASE DIFFUSIVITY

• Experimental diffusivity values for a large number of binary gas

mixtures are available in literature but for some mixtures no
experimental data has been reported so estimation of diffusivity
is done using a suitable predictive equation or correlation.
I. CHAPMAN-ENSKOG EQUATION:

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PREDICTIVE EQUATIONS FOR THE GAS PHASE DIFFUSIVITY

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PREDICTIVE EQUATIONS FOR THE GAS PHASE DIFFUSIVITY

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PREDICTIVE EQUATIONS FOR THE GAS PHASE DIFFUSIVITY

II. FULLER SCHETTLER & GIDDINGS EQUATION:

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PREDICTIVE EQUATIONS FOR THE GAS PHASE DIFFUSIVITY

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PROBLEM

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PROBLEM

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PROBLEM

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PROBLEM

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PROBLEM

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