Diffusion Solutions

1. The question asks for the diffusivity of acetone vapour in air, given the liquid level in a small
diameter tube at two different points in time. The following have been given:

P
A
0
= 180 mmHg
R = 8314 kg.m
2
s
-2
kmol
-1
K
-1

= 790 kg.m
-3

T = 20
o
C = 293 K
M
A
= 58 (molar mass of acetone)
Stefans method can be applied here, therefore equation 1.19 (slide 19) from the lecture notes is
relevant:

2 2 2
0
1
2
ln
AB A A
t
A
D PM P P
L L t
RT P P
(
=
(

or
2 2
0
2
1
2
ln
t
AB
A A
A
L L RT
D
PM P P
t
P P

=
(
(

Since the acetone reaching the top of the tube will be immediately removed by the air stream, the
partial pressure of acetone at the top, P
A2
, can be considered negligible, so P
A2
= 0.

The atmospheric pressure at 20
o
C must now be found. It is known that at 25
o
C, atmospheric
pressure is equal to 1 atm (=1.01 x 10
5
N/m
2
), so the pressure at 20
o
C can be found from the ideal
gas law:

PV nRT = or
P nR
T V
=

Since n, R and V are constant:
1 2 1
1 2
1 2 2
P P T
P P
T T T
= =

Therefore:
20
20 25
25
o
o o
o
C
C C
C
T
P P
T
= ,
5 5
20
293
1.01 10 0.983 10
298
o
C
P = = N/m
2


20.5 mm
11 mm
1
2
P
A1
= the vapour pressure of acetone:
5 2
5
1
1.01 10
180 0.239 10
760
A
N m
P mmHg
mmHg

= = N/m
2


All the values can now be substituted into the first equation to find the diffusivity of acetone vapour
in air:
2 2
5
5 5
5 5
790 8314 293 0.0205 0.011
1.01 10
2 0.983 10 58 0.983 10 0
ln 18000
0.983 10 0.239 10
AB
D


= =
(

(


kmol/m
2
.s

2. The question asks for the rate of methanol loss from an open cylindrical tank, this should be
given in kg/s. Although the situation is similar to question 1, in this case the liquid level in the tank
has only been given at one point in time, therefore the instantaneous value of mass loss should be
calculated. The following have been given:


P = 1 atm = 1.01 x 10
5
Nm
-2

P
A
0
= 135 mmHg
D
AB
= 1.6 x 10
-5
m
2
s
-1

R = 8314 kg.m
2
s
-2
kmol
-1
K
-1

T = 25
o
C = 298 K
z
2
= 0.61




In this case, N
B
can be considered negligible, therefore equation 1.13 (slide 15) from the lecture
notes can be applied:

( )
2
2 1 1
ln
AB A
A
A
D P P P
N
RT z z P P

=



Since the methanol reaching the top of the tank will be immediately removed by the air stream, the
partial pressure of methanol at the top, P
A2
, can be considered negligible, so P
A2
= 0.

P
A1
= the vapour pressure of methanol:
5 2
5
1
1.01 10
135 0.179 10
760
A
N m
P mmHg
mmHg

= = N/m
2


All the values can now be substituted into the first equation to find the molar flux of methanol
leaving the tank:

5 5 5
7
5 5
1.6 10 1.01 10 1.01 10 0
ln 2.098 10
8314 298 0.61 1.01 10 0.179 10
A
N

= =

kmol/m
2
.s

The molar flow rate can be found by multiplying the molar flux by the cross-sectional area:
molar flow rate
7 2 7 2 7
2.098 10 2.098 10 1.83 5.518 10
4 4
d
t t

= = = kmol/s

The molar mass of methanol, M
A
, is 32 kg/kmol, so the mass flow rate can be found:
mass flow rate
7 7 5
5.518 10 5.518 10 32 1.766 10
A
M

= = = kg/s

1.83 m
0.61 m
1
2
3. The question asks for the total time taken for the pressure in the gas cylinder to reduce to a
given pressure. Helium diffuses through the balloon wall, since the internal balloon pressure is kept
constant then the molar flow rate through the balloon must equal the molar flow rate from the gas
cylinder through the reduction valve. By finding the molar flow rate and the total moles lost, the
time taken can be found:

moles lost
t
molar flowrate
=











The molar flow rate needs to be found. The following have been given:

D
AB
= 5 x 10
-10
m
2
/s
d = 2.5 m
P
A1
= 2 x 10
2
kN/m
2
= 2 x 10
5
N/m
2

dx = 5 x 10
-4
m
P
0
= 2 x 10
4
kN/m
2
= 2 x 10
7
N/m
2
P
t
= 1 x 10
4
kN/m
2
= 1 x 10
7
N/m
2

V = 0.09 m
3
T = 293 K

It is stated that the diffusion of helium through the balloon wall can be considered to obey Ficks law
with a linear concentration gradient, therefore the molar flux is obtained from the molar flux due to
molecular diffusion:

A AB A
A A AB
dC D dP
N J D
dx RT dx
= = =

Since the concentration gradient is linear:
5
8
4
2 10 0
4 10
5 10
A
dP
dx

= =

N/m
3

So,
10
8 5
5 10
4 10 8.21 10
8.314 293
A
N

= =

moles/m
2
.s

The molar flow rate =
A
N A , the surface area of the balloon,
2 2
4 A r d t t = =

Thickness = 5 x 10
-4
m
V = 0.09m
3

P
A1
= 2 x 10
2
kNm
Therefore:
5 2 3
8.21 10 2.5 1.612 10 molar flowrate t

= = moles/s

Since the molar flow rate has been found, the number of moles removed from the cylinder must
now be found using the ideal gas law:
PV nRT = ,
PV
n
RT
=

The number of moles lost is equal to the initial number of moles, n
0
, minus the final number of
moles, n
t
:
7
2 0
0
2 10 0.09
7.389 10
8.314 293
PV
n
RT

= = =

moles
7
2
1 10 0.09
3.695 10
8.314 293
t
t
PV
n
RT

= = =

moles
2 2 2
0
7.389 10 3.695 10 3.695 10
t
n n = = moles

The time taken for the pressure in the cylinder to reduce to 1 x 10
4
kN/m
2
is equal to the number of
moles lost divided by the molar flow rate:

t
2
5
3
3.695 10
2.292 10
1.612 10
moleslost
molar flowrate

= = =

s
t
5
1
2.292 10 63.66
3600
hr
s
= = hours