CCB20202 Mass Transfer
TUTORIAL 1
1. A gas of CH4 and He is contained in a tube at 101.32 kPa pressure and 298 K.
At one point the partial pressure of methane is PA1 = 60.79 kPA and at a point
0.02 m distance away, PA2 = 20.26 kPa. If the total pressure is constant
throughout the tube, calculate the flux of CH4 (methane) at steady state for
equimolar counter-diffusion.
Ans: J*AZ = 5.52 x 10-5 kg mol A/s.m2
2. The gas CO2 is diffusing at steady state through a tube 0.20 m long having a
diameter of 0.01 m and containing N2 at 298 K. The total pressure is constant
at 101.32 kPA. The partial pressure of CO2 at one end is 456 mm Hg and 76
mm Hg at the other end. The diffusivity DAB is 1.67 x 10-5 m2/s at 298 K.
Calculate the flux of CO2 for equimolar counter-diffusion.
Ans: J*AZ = 1.707 x 10-6 kg mol A/s.m2
3. Helium and nitrogen gas are contained in a conduit 5 mm in diameter and 0.1
m long at 298 K and a uniform constant pressure of 1.0 atm abs. The partial
pressure of He at one end of the tube is 0.060 atm and 0.020 atm at the other
end. The diffusivity can be obtained from Appendix A1. Calculate the following
for steady-state equimolar counter-diffusion.
(a) Flux of He
(b) Flux of N2
(c) Partial pressure of He at a point 0.05 m from either end.
Ans:
(a) J*AZ = 1.124 x 10-6 kg mol A/s.m2,
(b) J*BZ = - 1.124 x 10-6 kg mol A/s.m2
(c) PA = 0.040 atm
4. Ammonia gas is diffusing through N2 under steady state conditions with N2 non-
diffusing since it is insoluble in one boundary. The total pressure is 1.013 x 10 5
Pa and the temperature is 298 K. The partial pressure of NH 3 at one point is
1.333 x 104 Pa and at the other point 20 mm away, it is 6.666 x 103 Pa. The
DAB for the mixture at 1.013 x 105 Pa and 298 K is 2.30 x 10-5 m2/s.
(a) Calculate the flux of NH3 in kg mol/s.m2
(b) Repeat the same calculation as (a) but assume that N2 also diffuses, i.e.,
both boundaries are permeable to both gases and the flux is equimolar
counter-diffusion.
(c) State which case (either (a) or (b)) gives greater flux.
Ans:
(a) NA = 3.44 x 10-6 kg mol/s.m2
(b) NA = 3.10 x 10-6 kg mol/s.m2
(c) Flux is greater in case (a)
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CCB20202 Mass Transfer
5. Oxygen (A) is diffusing through carbon monoxide (B) under steady-state
conditions, with the carbon monoxide non-diffusing. The total pressure is 1 x
105 N/m2, and the temperature 0C. The partial pressure of oxygen at two
planes 2.0 mm apart is respectively 13 000 and 6 500 N/m 2. The diffusivity for
the mixture is 1.87 x 10-5 m2/s. Calculate the rate of diffusion of oxygen in kg
mol/s through each square meter of the two planes.
Ans: NA = 2.97 x 10-5 kg mol/m2.s
6. As shown in Figure 1, an open beaker, 6 cm in height is filled with liquid
benzene at 25C to within 0.5 cm of the top. A gentle breeze of dry air at 25C
and 1 atm is blown by a fan across the mouth of the beaker so that evaporated
benzene is carried away by convection after it transfers through a stagnant air
layer in the beaker. The vapor pressure of benzene at 25C is 0.131 atm. The
mutual diffusion coefficient for benzene in air at 25C and 1 atm is 0.0905 cm2/s.
Compute:
(a) the initial rate of evaporation of benzene as a molar flux in mol/cm2.s
(b) the time in hours for the benzene level in the beaker to drop 2 cm from
the initial level. Specific gravity of liquid benzene is given as 0.874 while
R = 82.06 cm3. atm/ K. mol. Neglect the accumulation of benzene and
air in the stagnant layer as it increases in height.
Figure 1
Ans:
(a) NA = 1.04 x 10-6 mol/s.cm2
(b) tf = 17.94 hr
