ME6203 Mass Transport

Single droplet evaporation and drying

Problem statement
Water droplet evaporation experiment is carried out. Variation of the mass
of droplet vs. drying time is shown in Figure 1. The experimental conditions
are as follows:
Temperature of air surrounding water droplet,
o
C !".!
Temperature of droplet,
o
C #$.#
Wet %ul% temperature of am%ient air,
o
C #1.&
'ry %ul% temperature of am%ient air,
o
C #(.)
Velocity of air, v *m+s, 1.)
-nitial diameter of water droplet, ' *m, ).))#)&#
-nitial mass of droplet, m *g,
.
1) &## . !

The o%served drying time, t *s, .&!*s,

From above data:
(1) Determine the evaporation rate using energy balance and mass
transfer/diffusion methods. lso! compare the numerical results "ith the
attached e#perimental results.
($) Discuss the effects of air humidity! air velocity! air operating
pressure and temperature on drying performance
Figure 1 /ass of water droplet vs. drying time at air temperature !".!
o
C and
air velocity 1.)m+s
Solutions: (Method-1: based on the energy balance)
From ta%les,
0r ).$)#$
1
a
12.!( x 1)
3(
4g+ms
5
a
1.)2"4g+m
.
6
d
#$.$"2& x 1)
3.
W+m.6
For estimation of the convective heat transfer coefficient, we have the
following correlation:
( )
.. . )
& . )
0r ( . ) ) . #

+ =

a
a
d
c Dv
K
D h

*1,
7u%stituting the corresponding values, 89 1 yields
h
c
1)&.#"W+m
#
.6
'roplet surface area: : ;'
#
1..#. x 1)
3&
m
#
Temperature difference %etween drying air and droplet:
<T !".! = #$.# #1.#
o
C
>atent heat of water: ? #!1$.!! 4@+4g
The evaporation rate of this droplet is calculated from

( )

T hcA
Nc

=
*#,
i.e.:
A
c
B*1)&.#", C *1..#. x1)
3&
, C *#1.#,D + *#!1$.!!, 1.## x 1)
3&
g+s
From the graph in Figure 1, the evaporation rate is o%tained as
&
1) #" . 1

g+s
Thus, the error %y computation is B*1.#" x1)
3&
3 1.## x 1)
3&
,+ 1.#" x1)
3&
D x
1))E !.$E, which is negligi%le. -n fact the error in estimation of h using
empirical correlations can exceed 1)E
Solution: (Method-2: Based on mass transfer/diffusion equation)
For mass transfer from a spherical droplet su%Fected to a relative velocity of a
drying medium, we have the 7herwood num%er correlation as follows:
# + 1 . + 1 # + 1 . + 1
, * , * ( . ) ) . # Ge ( . ) ) . #
a
a
g a
a
p
g
c
Dv
D
Sc
D
D k
Sh

+ = + = =
From property ta%les,
0r ).$)#$
1
a
12.!( x 1)
3(
4g+ms
5
a
1.)2"4g+m
.
The diffusion coefficient for vapor in air at &)
o
C is s m + 1) 21 . #
# &

, + * )$$( . ) ,
1) !( . 12
)2" . 1 ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
* ,
1) 21 . # )2" . 1
1) !( . 12
* ( . ) ) . # B
))#)&# . )
1) 21 . #
D , * , * ( . ) ) . # B
# + 1
(
. + 1
&
( &
# + 1 . + 1
s m
Dv
D D
D
k
a
a
g a
a
g
c
=

=
+ =

Hased on the initial dry3%ul% and wet3%ul% temperatures of air, the humidity is
found from the psychrometric chart as ).)1. 4gI
#
J+4g dryair.
Then, the vapor concentration at the droplet surface * s
C
,*4mol+m
.
,K vapor
concentration in the %ul4 gas * g
C
, *4mol+m
.
,. They are defined as
, + * 1) !!. . 1
.)) ".1!
.())
, *
. .
m mol
RT
T p
C
p
p sat
s

=

= =


, + * 1) $" . $
! . .#1 ".1!
1)1.#&
1" + )1. . ) #2 + ) . 1
1" + )1. . )
. !
m mol
RT
p
X C
g
op
i g

=

+
= =

Hased on the mass transfer e9uation, the mass transfer rate from the water
droplet surface to the %ul4 air is calculated as
, + * 1) #. . 1 , 1) $" . $ 1) !!. . 1 * 1) 1" 1) .#. . 1 )$$( . )
, *
& ! . . &
s g
C C M A k N
g s p p c c

= =
=
The drying time is then given %y
, * ( . .$)
1) ## . 1
1) ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
( (
&
( . .
s
N
D
t
c
w
=

= =

The calculation error is then:

E 2 . . E 1))
1) #" . 1
1) #. . 1 1) #" . 1
&
& &
=

Discussion about the effects of the oerating arameters
(a) %ffect of air humidity
:ssume the a%solute humidity is increased to ).)1( 4g I
#
J+4g dry air. Then,
, + * 1) &. . 2
! . .#1 ".1!
1)1.#&
1" + )1( . ) #2 + ) . 1
1" + )1( . )
. !
m mol
RT
p
X C
g
op
i g

=

+
= =
Aow the evaporation rate %ecomes
, + * 1) )( . 2 , 1) &. . 2 1) !!. . 1 * 1) 1" 1) .#. . 1 )$$( . )
, *
( ! . . &
s g
C C M A k N
g s p p c c

= =
=
and the drying time %ecomes:
, * !22
1) )( . 2
1) ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
( (
(
( . .
s
N
D
t
c
w
=

= =

The reduced percentage of the evaporation rate is due to the increase of

humidity in air is computed %y
E . . #( E 1))
1) #. . 1
1) )( . 2 1) #. . 1
&
( &
=

The increase of drying time is *!223.$), 1#2*s,. Geduction in mass transfer

driving potential is responsi%le for this reduction.
(b) %ffect of the operating pressure
:ssume the operating pressure is only half of the normal am%ient atmospheric
pressure, i.e., &)((.0a. Therefore,
, + * 1) "2 . .
! . .#1 ".1!
&)((.
1" + )1. . ) #2 + ) . 1
1" + )1. . )
. !
m mol
RT
p
X C
g
op
i g

=

+
= =
Then the evaporation rate %ecomes
, + * 1) 2& . 1 , 1) "2 . . 1) !!. . 1 * 1) 1" 1) .#. . 1 )$$( . )
, *
( ! . . &
s g
C C M A k N
g s p p c c

= =
=
The drying time %ecomes:
, * #.#
1) 2& . 1
1) ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
( (
&
( . .
s
N
D
t
c
w
=

= =

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to the decrease of the
operating pressure in air is computed %y
E & . &" E 1))
1) #. . 1
1) 2& . 1 1) #. . 1
&
& &
=

The decrease of drying time is *.$)3#.#, 1."*s,

(c) %ffect of the air velocity
:ssume the air velocity is increased to &.)m+s. Then,
, + * #)12 . ) ,
1) !( . 12
)2" . 1 ) . & ))#)&# . )
* ,
1) 21 . # )2" . 1
1) !( . 12
* ( . ) ) . # B
))#)&# . )
1) 21 . #
D , * , * ( . ) ) . # B
# + 1
(
. + 1
&
( &
# + 1 . + 1
s m
Dv
D D
D
k
a
a
g a
a
g
c
=

=
+ =

The evaporation rate now %ecomes

, + * 1) #) . . , 1) $" . $ 1) !!. . 1 * 1) 1" 1) .#. . 1 #)12 . )
, *
& ! . . &
s g
C C M A k N
g s p p c c

= =
=
The drying time therefore is:
, * 1!1
1) #) . .
1) ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
( (
&
( . .
s
N
D
t
c
w
=

= =

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to increase of air

velocity is computed from:
E 1() E 1))
1) #. . 1
1) # . . 1) #. . 1
&
& &
=

The decrease of drying time is *.$)31!1, s i.e. ##2*s,

(d) %ffect of the air temperature
:ssume the air temperature is increased to $1."&
o
C. From the corresponding
ta%les, the following parameter values for air can %e o%tained
0r ).(2"
1
a
#).&# x 1)
3(
4g+ms
5
a
1.)#.4g+m
.
'
g
..#!x1)
3&
m+s
Then the mass transfer coefficient is calculated %y
, + * 11. . ) ,
1) &# . #)
)#. . 1 ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
* ,
1) #! . . )#. . 1
1) &# . #)
* ( . ) ) . # B
))#)&# . )
1) #! . .
D , * , * ( . ) ) . # B
# + 1
(
. + 1
&
( &
# + 1 . + 1
s m
Dv
D D
D
k
a
a
g a
a
g
c
=

=
+ =

Then the evaporation rate %ecomes

, + * 1) $2 . 1 , 1) $" . $ 1) !!. . 1 * 1) 1" 1) .#. . 1 11. . )
, *
& ! . . &
s g
C C M A k N
g s p p c c

= =
=
The drying time %ecomes:
, * #&#
1) $2 . 1
1) ) . 1 ))#)&# . )
( (
&
( . .
s
N
D
t
c
w
=

= =

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to the increase of air
temperature is computed %y
E & . !& E 1))
1) #. . 1
1) $2 . 1 1) #. . 1
&
& &
=

The decrease of drying time is *.$)3#&#, 11"*s,

From the a%ove computation, we can conclude that:
*1, When the air humidity is increased, the evaporation rate is decreased.
*#, When the air operating pressure is decreased, the evaporation rate is
increased and vice versa.
*., When the relative velocity %etween air and droplet is increased, the
evaporation rate is increased, as well.
*!, When the air temperature is increased, the evaporation rate is increased.
*&, :mong the four affecting factors, we can see that the air temperature and
relative velocity %etween air and droplet play a significant role on the drying
performance. Iowever, in real condition, the relative velocity %etween air and
droplet is not easy to control. -f the droplet is smaller as those found in spray
dryers, the particle evaporation rates are always controlled %y the drying
medium due to its small diameter. From this point, we show %y example why
the air temperature is always very important in spray dryer not only %ecause it
is easy to control %ut also %ecause it affects the drying performance
significantly.
-f drying %elow the critical moisture content i.e. in the internally controlled falling rate
period, one must have the FG0 data or effective diffusivity value *also o%tained
experimentally from drying 4inetics,. 7ince the evaporation rates are necessarily small,
measurement errors in L vs time data are large. To o%tain the drying rate one must
differentiate the L vs t data , which is an error3amplification process. 7uch data always
have large scatter. -n general, care must %e exercised when converting L vs t data into
drying 4inetics. -t is often %etter to smooth such data numerically and then differentiate it.
-t can %e done, for example, %y fitting a polynomial and the differentiating it. Aote that the
onset of falling rate can also %e detected %y a sudden rise in surface temperature under
constant drying conditions. -n a spray dryer the drying conditions seen %y the droplet vary
along its traFectory. This, it is difficult to determine the precise critical moisture content.
:lso complications arise due to crystalliMation, puffing, shrin4age, %rea43up and+or
agglomeration as the droplets+particles travel within the drying cham%er. The model given
a%ove in simplistic and for illustrative purposes.
: 7 /N@N/':G and >ixin Iuang, #))&