1

Introduction – General Discussion on Topic of

Transport Phenomena
Objectives:
1. To discuss briefly the philosophy of the Transport course and the reason why
problems are tackled in particular ways.
2. To see what is meant by “solution” and what the ultimate aim of a solution is from the
point of view of engineering practice.

Summary of contents
During the courses of transport phenomena a set of equations are derived which completely
describes the behaviour of all normal systems. These are called conservation equations.
The unknown (dependent) variables in these partial differential equations (p-de’s) are
components of a velocity vector, temperatures, and concentrations. These unknown
variables are related through equations, to the independent position variables such as x, y
and z and the time variable t. Looking at them carefully one will note that all these
conservation equations can be written in the form:

Net rate of convection of a - Net rate of diffusion of that = Net rate of generation of that
quantity into a small Quantity out of the small Quantity within that small
volume volume volume

One will notice that diffusion processes are involved in the conservation equations. One will
then realize that diffusion coefficients must also enter the conservation equations. Since the
conservation equations describe the behaviour of measurable properties of heat, mass and
momentum transfer, namely T, C and V, three (3) diffusion coefficients are needed, one for
each of these quantities.

These three unknowns are conveniently defined by the diffusion equations of Fourier, Fick
and Newton respectively. (For LAMINAR flow, where transport occurs by molecular
diffusion,) The difficulties arise when we try to integrate the p-de”s for particular sets of
boundary conditions (i.e. for particular problems). One will notice or have notice that this is
impossible except in a limited number of cases.

In order to obtain solutions to more practical problems the obvious thing to do is to simplify
the full p-de’s by omitting certain terms, so that approximate analytical solutions can be
obtained. When certain terms are omitted in this way one obtains a set of equations known
as boundary layer equations. These assumptions one makes in getting from full
conservation equations to these approximate equations are known as boundary layer
assumptions. The boundary layer equations can thus be applied to cases where boundary
layer assumptions are valid.

N.B. One will still need three diffusion equations to define the transport coefficient.

The introduction of the boundary layer concept by Prandtl at the beginning of the 20th century
enabled a whole new class of problems to be solved in an analytical way, giving good
approximate answers.

Further progress was not made until Polhausen introduced a technique for solving boundary
layer equations – called the integral technique.
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The essence of this technique is that the unknown quantity which is to be found, say , for
example, the velocity distribution across a boundary layer (mathematically U = f(x,y) , is cast
in polynomial form e.g.

U = a0 + a1 y + a 2 y 2
Which is the equation of a parabola.

Thus, one is really saying that the velocity distribution is known – it is a parabola. The original
problem now transforms itself into one of finding the coefficients of the parabolic equation.
Two of these are usually found directly by application of the boundary conditions of the
problem, the third is found by substituting the expression for a into the boundary layer
equation and integrating using a further boundary condition.
Notice that in an effort to generate more and more solutions to more practical problems, one
is being forced in the direction of more approximate methods, because of the intractable
mathematics involved in the more desirable analytical solutions. Computational methods of
problem solving have greatly assisted in this effort of solving the p-de’s.
The integral solution of boundary layer problems is really as far as one can go in solving a
problem analytically.

N.B. “Solving a problem” in this context means deriving V, T or C as a function of x, y, z or

t.
To “solve problems” which are out of the reach of analytical methods, however approximate,
one must resort to experimentation.
Now in order to ensure that experimental results obtained on one system can be read across
to other, different, systems, the results of experiments must be expressed in dimensionless
form, the resulting design equations being in the form of dimensionless correlations.
The dimensionless groups involved in such correlations do not appear out of thin air – they
arise quite naturally from the application of the appropriate conservation equations to the
problem at hand.
Thus the important groups which contain all the important variables of the problem are
deduced from the original p-de’s – the exact form of the relationship for any particular
problem can only be determined experimentally.
Ways and means of “solving problems” and the evolution of approximate techniques have
now been discussed. The question “why” must now be asked.
One of the main aims of “solving a problem” (by whatever means) is to obtain numerical
values for the overall transport coefficients f (or Φ), h and km. Note the similarity in the way in
which these overall coefficients and the diffusion coefficients are defined.
For example, take a convective heat transfer problem:

Q = h A (T1 - T2)
In the design of heat exchange equipment one needs to know the value of “h”. Similarly in
the design of mass transfer equipment one must know the value of “km” and in the design of
flow equipment (pumps) one must know the value of f (or Φ) for the system (pipes etc.)
through which the fluid is to flow.
Summary:
1. Any “problem” can be tackled by the application of:
(a) The conservation equations.
(b) The diffusion equations
(c) The boundary conditions
2. The possibility of success is governed by the nature of the boundary conditions.
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3.. For bounddary conditions of engineeering importtance, only a

approximate solutions can n,
as ye
et, be obtaine
ed. Since theese are, in many
m cases, within 5% off the real ansswer, they arre
perfectly adequate
e.

4. One of the e main objec

ctives of all th
his is to dete
ermine value
es of f (or Φ),, h and km fo
or
the piieces of equipment.

N.B,

The foregoing
f ha
as tacitly as
ssumed thatt where hea
at and mass transfer oc
ccurred in th
he

prese
ence of a flo
owing stream
m, the stream
m is in lamin
nar motion.

The same
s philos
sophy of tac
ckling ‘problems” applie
es where th
he stream is
s turbulent a
as

is usually the ca
ase in engine
eering problems. The o
only differen
nces occur in the detaills

of the
e equations, arising fro
om the very complex na
ature of turb
bulence. The three basiic

cons
servation equations still apply, butt with additional terms included to
o account fo
or

the effects
e of turbulence. The
T three diffusion equ
uations still apply, but the diffusio
on

coeffficients as defined
d are not
n universa
ally applicab
ble. The bou
undary cond
ditions are fa
ar

more
e complex.

The overall
o effec
ct of turbulence is to altter the value
es of the coe
efficients f ((or Φ), h an
nd

km an
nd also the values
v of the
e coefficientts defined b
by the diffusiion equation
ns.
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Aim of
o Transportt Phenomen
na Year 3: To conttinue the ba
alanced ove
erview of th
he

Subje
ect of Transp
port Phenome
ena & Rheolo
ogy, presentt Fundamenta
al Equations of the subject

and show
s how to use them to solve problem
ms in relation
n to equipme
ent and flow p
processes.

Objec
ctives:

• To quantittatively chara
acterize the flow
fl propertie
es of fluids.

• To solve problems in viscous Ne

ewtonian/Non
n-Newtonian flow utilizing
g concepts o
of

strain, stre
ress, apparen
nt viscosity, diffusivity, th
thermal cond
ductivity and
d equations o
of

change.

• To show the
t usage of dimensionles
ss groups to solve transp
port process p
problems.

• To solve transport process

p prob
blems assocciated with b
boundary la
ayer flow, lo
ow

Reynolds Number flow

ws, turbulence and comprressible flow.

• To apply transport
t pro
ocesses to so
olve problem
ms of heat tra
ansfer in the separate an
nd

combined
d modes of co
onduction, co
onvection and
d radiation.

• Application of transporrt processes to solve prob

blems in masss transfer.

• Application of mass tra

ansfer theorie
es.

• To solve problems
p in simultaneous
s s heat and ma
ass transfer.

• Application of transp
port processes to solve
e problems associated with processs

equipmen
nt.