BANSILAL RAMNATH AGARWAL CHARITABLE TRUST’S

VISHWAKARMA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

PUNE-411048
(An autonomous Institute affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University)

Name : SHUBHAM BUDHAWANT

Subject : TRANSPORT PHENOMENA
Class : T.Y. B.TECH. CH-A
Roll No. : 65
G. R. No. : 11810315
 LAB 6: MASS TRANSFER SYSTEM

AIM: To study the mass transfer system and determine concentration profile.

THEORY:

In the diffusion system which liquid A is evaporating into gas B. We imagine there is some
device that maintains the liquid level at z = z1. Right at the liquid-gas interface, the gas-phase
concentration of A, expressed as mole fraction, is xAl. This is taken to be the gas-phase
concentration of A corresponding to equilibrium with the liquid at the interface. That is, xAl is the
vapor pressure of A divided by the total pressure, pAvap/p, provided that A and B form an ideal gas
mixture and that the solubility of gas B in liquid A is negligible.

A stream of gas mixture A-B of concentration xA2 flows slowly past the top of the tube, to
maintain the mole fraction of A at xA2 for z= z2. The entire system is kept at constant temperature
and pressure. Gases A and B are assumed to be ideal.

Figure. Steady-state diffusion of A through stagnant B with the liquid-vapour interface maintained at a fixed
position. The graph shows how the concentration profiles deviate from straight lines because of convective
contribution of mass flux.
We know that there will be a net flow of gas upward from the gas-liquid interface, and that the
gas velocity at the cylinder wall will be smaller than that in the center of the tube. To simplify
the problem, we neglect this effect and assume that there is no dependence of the z-component of
the velocity on the radial coordinate.

When this evaporating system attains a steady state, there is a net motion of A away from the
interface and the species B is stationary. Hence the molar flux of A is given below with NBz = 0.
Solving for NAz, we get

−c D AB d x A
N Az=
1− x A dz

A steady-state mass balance (in molar units) over an increment ∆z of the column states that the
amount of A entering at plane z equals the amount of A leaving at plane z + ∆z:

S N Az∨¿ z−S N Az ∨¿z +∆ z=0¿ ¿

Here S is the cross-sectional area of the column. Division by S∆z and taking the limit as ∆z → 0
gives

−d N Az
=0
dz

d c D AB d x A
∴ (
dz 1−x A dz
=0)
For an ideal gas mixture the equation of state is p = cRT, so that at constant temperature and
pressure c must be a constant. Furthermore, for gases 𝔇AB is very nearly independent of the
composition. Therefore, c𝔇AB can be moved to the left of the derivative operator to get

d 1 d xA
(
dz 1−x A dz
=0 )
This is a second-order differential equation for the concentration profile expressed as mole
fraction of A. Integration with respect to z gives

1 d xA
=C1
1−x A dz

A second integration then gives

−ln ( 1−x A )=C 1 z +C 2

If we replace C1 by –ln K1 and C2 by –ln K2, we get

1−x A =K 1z K 2

The two constants of integration, K1 and K2, may then be determined by from the boundary
conditions

B.C. 1: at z =z1 , x A =x A 1

B.C. 2: at z =z2 , x A =x A 2

When the constants have been obtained, we finally get

z− z1
1−x A 1−x A 2
( )(
1−x A 1
=
1−x A 1 ) z2−z1

The profile for gas B can be obtained by

x B =1−x A
PROBLEM STATEMENT:

For mass transfer equipment, determine the concentration profile for species A and B.

The specifications are given below

x A 1=0.3

x A 2=0.03

z 1=0.01

Vary z2 from 2 to 4 and obtain the concentration profile.

Formulae:

1. Molar flux of A

−c D AB d x A
N Az=
1− x A dz

2. xA at particular z
z− z1
1−x A 1−x A 2
( )(
1−x A 1
=
1−x A 1 ) z2−z1

3. xB at particular z

x B =1−x A
RESULTS:

The concentration distribution profile for different values of z2 is plotted below for xA and xB.

 z2 = 2

Concentration Distribution at z2 = 2
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 2.2
 Concentration Profile for z2 = 2.2
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 2.4

Concentration Profile for z2 = 2.4

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

z
 z2 = 2.6

Concentration Profile for z2 = 2.6

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 2.8
 Concentration Profile for z2 = 2.8
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 3

Concentration Profile for z2 = 3

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

z
 z2 = 3.2

Concentration Profile for z2 = 3.2

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 3.4
 Concentration Profile for z2 = 3.4
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 3.6

Concentration Profile for z2 = 3.6

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

z
 z2 = 3.8

Concentration Profile for z2 = 3.8

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

 z2 = 4
 Concentration Profile for z2 = 4
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
xA
xA, xB

0.5
xB
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

The comparative graphs for xA and xB are given below.

Varying xA for different values of z2

0.32

0.30 z=2
z = 2.2
0.28 z = 2.4
z = 2.6
0.26
z = 2.8
0.24 z=3
xA

z = 3.2
0.22 z = 3.4
z = 3.6
0.20
z = 3.8
0.18 z=4

0.16
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

z
 Varying xB for different values of z2
0.84

0.82 z=2
z = 2.2
0.80 z = 2.4
z = 2.6
0.78
z = 2.8
0.76 z=3
xB

z = 3.2
0.74 z = 3.4
z = 3.6
0.72
z = 3.8
0.70 z=4

0.68
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

z
CONCLUSION:

The transport phenomenon of mass diffusivity was studied. The concentration profile over the
length of mass transfer equipment was obtained with the help of fundamental theoretical
governing equations. These equations are derived from basic mass balance over the length of
mass transfer equipment. It could be seen from the profile that the slope dxA/dz is not constant
although NAz is; this could be anticipated from the basic equation of molar flux of A.

From the concentration profiles at different z values, it could be concluded that the nature of
concentration profile for all values of z is same. This could be verified with the fact that the
equations proves to be correct and efficient in understanding the concentration profile within the
mass transfer equipment.

From the comparative graphs of xA and xB for different values of z, it could be noted that the
slope of the concentration profile decreases for xA and xB with increase in value of z.