Separation Processes -I

BITS Pilani
Hyderabad Campus
 BITS Pilani
Hyderabad Campus

Mass transfer coeffecients

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
 MASS TRANSFER THEORIES

There are three types of theories in mass transfer

coefficients.
1) Film theories
2) Penetration theories
3) Surface –renewal theories

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Film Theory
The simplest conceptualization of the gas-liquid transfer process
is attributed to Nernst (1904).
Nernst postulated that near the interface there exists a stagnant
film . This stagnant film is hypothetical since we really don't
know the details of the velocity profile near the interface.

• Basic concept – the resistance to diffusion can be considered

equivalent to that in stagnant film of a certain thickness

• Often used as a basis for complex problems of

multicomponent diffusion or diffusion plus chemical reaction.

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a) Mass transfer occurs by molecular diffusion through a
fluid layer at phase boundary . Beyond this film,
concentration is homogeneous and is CAb.
b) Mass transfer through the film occurs at steady state.
c) Flux is low and mass transfer occurs at low
concentration. Hence,

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BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
In this film transport is governed essentially by
molecular diffusion. Therefore, Fick's law
describes flux through the film.
C mg
J  D (typical units )
X 2
cm sec

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If the thickness of the stagnant film is given by
dn then the gradient can be approximated by:
C Cb Ci

X dn

Cb and Ci are concentrations in the bulk and at

the interface, respectively.

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At steady-state if there are no reactions in the
stagnant film there will be no accumulation in
the film (Assume that D = constant) -- therefore
the gradient must be linear and the
approximation is appropriate.
And:
(Cb  Ci )
J  D
dn
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Penetration and Surface Renewal Models

Most of the industrial processes of mass transfer is unsteady state

process. In such cases, the contact time between phases is too short to
achieve a stationary state. This non stationary phenomenon is not
generally taken into account by the film model.

More realistic models of the process have been proposed by Higbie

(1935, penetration model) and by Danckwerts ( 1951, surface renewal
model). In these models bulk fluid packets (eddies) work their way to
the interface from the bulk solution. While at the interface they
attempt to equilibrate with the other phase under non-steady state
conditions. No film concepts need be invoked. The concentration
profile in each eddy ( packet) is determined by the molecular diffusion
dominated advective-diffusion equation: BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
 Basic assumptions of the penetration theory are as follows:
1) Unsteady state mass transfer occurs to a liquid element so long it
is in contact with the bubbles or other phase
2) Equilibrium exists at gas-liquid interface
3) Each of liquid elements stays in contact with the gas for same
period of time

C 2
 C
D
t X 2

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The solution to this governing equation depends,
of course, on boundary conditions. In the Higbie
penetration model it is assumed that the eddy
does not remain at the surface long enough to
affect concentration at the bottom of the eddy ( z
= zb). In other words the eddy behaves as a semi-
infinite slab. Where C (@ z = zb ) = Cb. Also C
(@ z = 0) = Ci .

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The boundary conditions are:
t = 0, Z > 0 : c = cAb
and t > 0, Z = 0 : c = cAi.
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Solving the equation with these boundary conditions and then
solving for the gradient at z = 0 to get the flux at z = 0 and
then finding the average flux over the time the eddy spends on
the surface yields the following:
D
J 2 
 Ci Cb constant = average time at surface (a
 for a given mixing level).

The average mass transfer coefficient during a time interval tc is then

obtained by integrating Equation (3.61) as

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For the mass transfer in liquid phase, Danckwert (1951) modified the Higbie’s
penetration theory with the surface renewal model. He stated that a portion of the
mass transfer surface is replaced with a new surface by the motion of eddies near the
surface and proposed the following assumptions:
1) The liquid elements at the interface are being randomly swapped by fresh
elements from bulk
2) At any moment, each of the liquid elements at the surface has the same probability
of being substituted by fresh element
3) Unsteady state mass transfer takes place to an element during its stay at the
interface.

J  Ci Cb  Ds

s = surface renewal rate (again, a function of

mixing level in bulk phase).
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Comparison of the models:
Higbie and Danckwert's models both predict that
J is proportional to D0.5 where the Nernst film
model predicts that J is proportional to D. Actual
observations show that J is proportional to
something in between, D0.5 -1 . There are more
complicated models which may fit the
experimental data better, but we don't need to
invoke them at this time.

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 Mass transfer coefficients
To simplify calculations we usually define a mass
transfer coefficient for either the liquid or gas
phase as kl or kg (dimensions = L/t).

D
k l,g  2 (Higbie)

k l,g  Ds (Danckwerts)

D
k l,g  (Nernst)
dn
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Boundary Layer Theory
• Mass transfer often take place in a thin boundary
layer near a surface where the fluid is in laminar flow.
• The coefficient, kc depends on 2/3 power of diffusivity
and decreases with increasing distance along the
surface in the direction of flow
• Boundary layer theory can be used to estimate kc for
some situations,
• but exact prediction of kc cannot be made when the
boundary layer become turbulent.

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BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
When δ=δ(x)u=Uα and when δ=δm(x)-> u=0.99Uα distance over which solute
concentration drops by 99% of (CAi-CAb).

where, x is the distance of a point from the leading edge of the plate; kL,x is the local mass
transfer coefficient.

where, l is the length of the plate.

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