DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING

Lecture 4: Interfacial phenomena

Prof. Aubrey Mainza

In science one tries to tell people,
in such a way as to be
understood by everyone,
something that no one ever knew
before. But in poetry, it’s the
exact opposite.
— PAUL DIRAC

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Special cases for molecular diffusion (1-D geometry, ‘A’ through stagnant ‘B’) Lecture [ 4 ]

laminar gas film

P

bulk yB y B
0 bulk
liquid z gas
(mixed) yA(0) y A (mixed)
yA 0
z
H2O (‘A’) H2O (‘A’)

0 yA(d)
z=0 z z+dz d

To develop a general expression for the concentration profiles, first consider the continuity
equation at pseudo-steady-state, no reaction:
 (N A ( z ) )
=0 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · (4.1)
z
Then derive an expression for NA, using a version of equation 3.4 expressed as
gaseous mole fractions with NB=0
y A
N A = (N A + N B ) y A − DAB  c · · · · (4.2)
z
y A D AB  c
N A (1 − y A ) = − D AB  c N A( z ) z = −  y A · · · · (4.3)
z 1− yA
Since NA is not a function of z (eq. 4.3), we can integrate eq. 4.3 from 0 to 𝛿:

𝑁𝐴 𝛿 − 0 = 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 ln 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝛿 − ln 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0
𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝛿
∴ 𝑁𝐴 = ln · · · · · · · · · · · · · · (4.4)
𝛿 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0

3
Special cases for molecular diffusion (1-D geometry, ‘A’ through stagnant ‘B’) Lecture [ 4 ]

If we were interested in the concentration profile 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 , we can integrate eq.

4.3 from 0 to 𝑧, instead:

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 1−𝑦𝐴 𝑧
𝑁𝐴 = ln … (4.5)
𝑧 1−𝑦𝐴 0

And 𝑁𝐴 is known from eq. 4.4. Substituting this value of 𝑁𝐴 into eq. 4.5:

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝛿 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑧
ln = ln
𝛿 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0 𝑧 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0
𝑧
1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 1 − 𝑦𝐴 𝛿 𝛿
∴ =
1 − 𝑦𝐴 0 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0

4
Special cases for molecular diffusion (1-D geometry, ‘A’ through stagnant ‘B’) Lecture [ 4 ]

z
δ
1 − y A ( δ ) 
y A = 1 − (1 − y A ( 0) )
 

1 − y A (0) 

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

yA 0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
z/d

5
Special cases for molecular diffusion (1-D geometry, dilute ‘A’) Lecture [ 4 ]

laminar gas film

P

bulk bulk
liquid gas
(mixed) yA(0) (mixed)
yA

H2O (‘A’) H2O (‘A’)

0 yA(d)
z=0 z z+dz d

If ‘A’ is dilute (xA << 1), we can simplify the solution in eq. 4.4 by recognizing

ln(1 − y )  − y for y  1
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · (4.5)

Then substituting this into eq 4.4

𝑁𝐴 𝛿 − 0 = 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 −𝑦𝐴 𝛿 − −𝑦𝐴 0 · · · · (4.6)

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐
∴ 𝑁𝐴 = − (𝑦𝐴 𝛿 − 𝑦𝐴 0 ) · · · · (4.7)
𝛿

Which we recognize to be identical to the solution of the equimolar counter diffusion

problem in eq. 3.8

6
Special cases for molecular diffusion (1-D geometry, ‘A’ through stagnant ‘B’) Lecture [ 4 ]

If we were interested in the concentration profile 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 , we can simply

substitue z for d

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐
𝑁𝐴 = − 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 − 𝑦𝐴 0 … (4.8)
𝑧

And 𝑁𝐴 is known from eq. 4.7. Substituting this value of 𝑁𝐴 into eq. 4.8:

𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐 𝐷𝐴𝐵 𝑐
− (𝑦𝐴 𝛿 − 𝑦𝐴 0 )=− 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 − 𝑦𝐴 0
𝛿 𝑧
𝑧
∴ 𝑦𝐴 𝑧 = 𝑦𝐴 0 + (𝑦𝐴 𝛿 − 𝑦𝐴 0 )
𝛿

7
 The task is ... not so much to
see what no one has yet seen;
but to think what nobody has yet
thought, about that which
everybody sees.

Erwin Schrödinger

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING