Convective

Mass
Transfer

Introduction

Convective Mass Transfer Parameters

Consider the mass transfer of solute A from a solid
to a fluid flowing past the surface of the solid.
The mass transfer between the solid surface and
the fluid may be written as

N A k c C As C A

(1)

Since the mass transfer at the surface is by molecular

diffusion, the mass transfer may also described by
N A D AB

dCA
dy

(2)
y 0

When the boundary concentration, CAs is constant,

equation may be written as
N A D AB

d C A C As
dy

y 0

(3)

fluid

Solid

Convective Mass Transfer Parameters

Equation (1) and (3) may be equated, since they define the same flux
of component A leaving the surface and entering the fluid

k c C A s C A D AB

d
C A C As
dy

(4)
y 0

This relation may be rearranged into the following form:

kc
D AB

d C A C As d y

C A C A

(5)

y 0

Multiplying both sides of equation (5) by a characteristic length, L

kc L
D AB

Sherwood
number, Sh

d C A C As d y

C A S C A

y 0

(6)

the ratio of the concentration gradient at

the surface to an overall or reference
concentration gradient; or
the ratio of molecular mass-transport
resistance to the convective masstransport resistance of the fluid.

Mass transfer between phases

Suppose we consider two immiscible fluids, 1 and 2, in
contact with each other.
Substance A has been dissolved in fluid 1, in that is
also soluble in fluid 2, As soon as the two fluids are
brought together, substance A will begin to diffuse into
fluid 2. As long as the two phases remain in contact,
the transport of A will continue until equilibrium is
reached
Let CAi is the concentration of A at the interface, and NA is the
molar flux of A. For steady state conditions, we can define the
flux of A as

N A k c1 C A1 C Ai k c C A i C A 2 K c C A 1 C A 2
1
k c1

1
k c2

1
Kc

(8)

(7)

where
k c = individual mass transfer coefficient defined in terms
of the concentration difference in a single phase.
K c = overall mass transfer coefficient defined in terms of
the overall difference in composition.

Gas Liquid system

For Gas phase the partial pressure is used (PAi) at the interface and CAi is the
concentration at the liquid interface which are related by an equilibrium
relationship such as Henrys law for ideal systems:

PAi H C Ai

(9)

where H is Henrys law constant.

The flux NA can also be expressed in terms of overall mass transfer
coefficients as,
(10)
N A K p P AG P AE K c C AE C AL

where
Kp = overall mass transfer coefficient with the overall potential defined in
terms of partial pressures.
Kc = overall mass transfer coefficient with the overall potential defined in
terms of concentrations.
PAE , CAE = equilibrium composition.

Overall Resistance
PAE is related to the bulk liquid composition C AL as
P AE H C AL
C AE

P AG
H

(11)
(12)

The relationship between the individual and overall coefficients is readily obtained
through the use of equations (7) to (12) as
1
1
H
H

Kp kp kc Kc

(13)

In many systems, mass transfer resistance is mainly in one phase. For example,
gases such as nitrogen and oxygen do not dissolve much in liquids. Their Henrys
law constant H is very large, thus Kc kc is a good approximation. In this case, the
liquid phase controls the mass transfer press since mass transfer is slowest there.

Interphase Mass Transfer

In most of the mass transfer processes,
which are immiscible in each other, an
interface will exist between the phases.
A concentration gradient exist causing
mass transfer through the resistances
in each phase.
In many chemical processes, the
resistance at the interface was
neglected, however, if the resistant of
the interface is to be considered,
theories and models to predict these
resistant are needed.

interface
NA
yAi

xAL

yAG

xAi

Distance from interface

Local Two-Phase Mass Transfer

Assume Gas Absorption
Column
At any particular location
in the tower there is a
solute diffusing from the
gas phase to the liquid.
This diffusion requires a
concentration gradient in
the direction of the
diffusion, and so we can
plot concentration vs
distances.

Gasout

Liquidin
(Water)
1
2

N1
N
Liquidout

Gasin
(AmmoniaAir)

Interface
Gas phase

Liquid phase
xAi

yAG

xAL
yAi
Concentrations

Gas phase

Interface
Liquid phase
fAi

fAG

fAL
fAi
Frugacities

If the bulk concentration of

component A in the gas
phase is given by yAG (mole
fraction). As A diffuses
towards the interface, the
concentration drops to yAi at
the interface.
For diffusion in the liquid
phase away from the
interface, the concentration
must drop as distance from
the interface increases, and
so the concentration at the
interface , xAi drops to xAL in
the bulk of the liquid.
The bulk concentrations, yAG
and xAL cannot be
equilibrium concentrations,
or else there would not be
any mass transfer.

The resistance
The rate of mass transfer depends on an "Ohm's Law" type
equation:

Driving force
Rate
Resistance
The driving force is
related to chemical
potentials of the
component, which
for many purposes
can be replaced by
concentrations.

1
R
KA
K : mass transfer coefficient
expressed as mass transferred in
unit time through unit area of
transfer surface under the
influence of unit driving force, and
A : transfer area (usually the area
of contact between the two
phases)

The resistance
The resistance which is represented by the mass transfer
coefficient can be considered to be the result of three
separate resistances:
1. a gas phase resistance controlling diffusion of the
component from the bulk of the gas phase to the
interface;
2. an interface resistance controlling transfer of solute
across the interface; and
3. a liquid phase resistance controlling diffusion of the
component from the interface to the bulk of the liquid
phase;
As there are three resistance terms, the bulk concentrations
cannot be used directly to describe the rate of mass
transfer.

Two-resistance theory
Assume that there is no resistance to mass transfer across the interface,
and that all resistance to mass transfer occurs within the phases
themselves, then the resulting concentrations at the interface become the
equilibrium concentrations, yAi and xAi are in equilibrium with each other.
In normal practice, it can be assumed that the two-resistance model is
correct.
P represents the
bulk concentrations
in both phases.

M represents the
concentrations at
the interface.

Two-resistance theory
For steady-state mass transfer, the rate
at which A reaches the interface from
the bulk of the gas must equal the rate
of diffusion away from the interface to
the bulk of the liquid.
In terms of mass transfer coefficients,
kx and ky, we can write the equation for
the flux of A in the gas and liquid
phases as

N A k y ( y AG y Ai )
k x ( x Ai x AL )
which can be rearranged as
y AG y Ai
k
x
x AL x Ai
ky
which is the slope of the line
passing through P and M.
If the mass-transfer coefficients, kx
and ky are known, it is thus possible
to determine the interfacial
concentrations, and the flux NA,
either by graphical or analytical
solution.

Overall Mass-Transfer Coefficients

it is impossible to determine the (x i and
yi), while it is possible to sample the
bulk fluid and determine xAL and yAG.
to determine mass transfer effects, we
do so in an overall sense, based on
bulk, rather than the actual
concentrations controlling the mass
transfer.

The gas phase overall mass

transfer coefficient, Ky
define as:

NA = Ky (yAG yA*)
But (yAG yA*)
=(yAG yAi)+(yAi yA*)
=(yAG yAi)+m(xAi xAL)

Overall Mass-Transfer Coefficients

the overall mass transfer coefficient is related to the
individual-phase mass transfer coefficient in a manner
analogous to the addition of resistances, hence the name as
the Two-resistance theory of mass-transfer.

NA NA
NA

m
Ky
ky
kx

1
1
1

or
m
Ky ky
kx

In a similar manner, we can use

xA* as a measure of xAG and so,
the liquid phase overall mass
transfer coefficient, Kx, is defined
from:

N A K x ( x A x AL )
and so

1
1
1

K x mk y k x

Special Cases
Two special cases can be considered:
Case 1: if m << kx/ky
then a small concentration in the gas will result in a large concentration in
the liquid (ie, A is very soluble), the major resistance will be
represented by 1/ky, and the mass transfer is to be gas phase
controlled, and even relatively large changes in k x will not significantly
alter Ky, and so any attempt to increase the mass transfer rate should
be directed at the gas phase.
Case 2: if m >> kx/ky
(ie, A is only slightly soluble in the liquid phase), the major resistance will
be represented by 1/kx, and the mass transfer is to be liquid phase
controlled, and any attempt to increase the mass transfer rate should
be directed at the liquid phase.