Chemical Engineering Fundamentals ENCH2EF

Test 1
Chemical Engineering, UKZN, R Rawatlal, September 2023, 1.5hrs, 50 marks

Question 1 [12 marks]

Consider a gas of initial mole fraction x A 0 in a rectangular container of height 30cm with a
permeable 2mm thick lid (stagnant medium). The concentration profile can be estimated as
linear. Outside the container, the concentration of A is approximately zero everywhere,
whereas inside the container, the mole fraction is initially 0.4. The diffusivity of A through
the lid is 5 ×10−8 m2 / s .

a) What is the initial rate of change of the mole fraction of component A in the
container? [6]
b) Estimate the time taken to achieve a mole fraction of 0.3. Use a simple approximation
d x A x A 2−x A 1
as follows: ≅ [6]
dt Δt

The general flux expression is

d xA
N A =x A ( N A + N B )−c . D AB .
dz

Solution
For a stagnant medium and a linear profile, we have
x A−x A ∞
N A =x A N A−c . D AB .
Δz
Collecting N A and outside the container the concentration is approximately zero:
x A −x A ∞ xA
N A (1−x A )=−c . D AB . =−c . D AB .
Δz Δz
The molar flux is then
D AB xA
N A =−c . .
Δ z (1−x A )

If the cross-sectional area is Ac ,the rate of loss of A is then

d d
c A .V = c A . A c . h=−N A . A c
dt dt
Or
d
c x =−N A . h
dt A
i.e.

d D AB xA
c x A =−c . . .h
dt Δ z (1−x A )

Or

d −D AB xA
xA = . .h
dt Δ z (1−x A )

We have then
d −5
x A =…=−5.56 ×10 /s
dt

We may estimate the time to reach 0.3 as

x A 2−x A 1
Δt ≅ =…=1800 s
d xA
dt

Question 2 [25 marks]

Consider the ffg reaction occurring on the surface of a spherical particle suspended in a
solution of component A:
2 A →3 B
The intrinsic surface reaction rate is high in comparison with diffusion. The total
concentration in the fluid is 2400 mol . m−3 and the mole fraction of A in the bulk is 0.7.
At a distance of 2cm away from the particle, the mole fraction is measured to be 0.4. The
diffusivity is 4 ×10−7 m2 . s−1 .
We wish to determine the mass transfer coefficient for the particle.
a) Develop an expression for the molar flux of component A [7]
b) Develop the unsteady state material balance of component A using a suitable finite
volume [6]
c) At steady state, how does the mole fraction of A vary with r ? [7]
 d) Determine the film thickness using the 0.99 x Ab criterion and hence estimate the mass
transfer coefficient [5]
Solution
From the reaction, we have that
−3
N B= N
2 A
The general expression for molar flux is given by
d xA
N A =x A ( N A + N B )−c . D AB .
dr
d xA
¿ x A (−N A /2 )−c . D AB .
dr
Or

N A 1+ ( xA
2 )=−c . D AB .
d xA
dr
That is
d xA
dr
N A =−c . D AB .
(
1+ A
x
2 )
The molar balance on a finite volume between r and r + Δ r is
d 2 2
c A .4 π r Δ r=N A ,r .4 π r −N A ,r + Δr .4 π ¿
dt
Dividing both sides by 4 π r 2 Δ r and taking Δ r → 0, obtain
d 1 d 2
c A= 2 [ N A , r .r ]
dt r dr
At steady state, we have
d 2
[N . r ]=0
dr A ,r
Or

[ ]
d xA
d dr 2
−c . D AB . . r =0
( )
dr x
1+ A
2

First integration yields:

 d xA
dr 2
−c . D AB . . r =k
1+ A
x
2 ( )
Separating the variables yields
d xA k
−c . D AB . = . dr
(1+ x2 )
2
A r

Second integration yields

[ ( )] [ ]
xA r
xA k
−c . D AB .2 . ln 1+ =−
2 xA 0 r R

That is

( ) =k . 1 − 1
1+
xA

c . D AB .2 . ln (r R )
2

( 2)
1+
x A0

Since surface reaction rate is high, the surface mole fraction will be approximately 0. We
have then

c . D AB .2 . ln 1+( xA
2 ) (
1 1
=k . −
r R )
From the provided measurement, we obtain k as

c . D AB .2 . ln 1+( xA 1
2 ) (
1 1
=k . −
r1 R )
Or

k =c . D AB .2 .
(
ln 1+
x A1
2 ) =…=−1.97 ×10 −5

( r1 − 1R )
1

We now have a general equation which can be used to obtain the mole fraction as a function
of radial position. To obtain the film thickness, we apply the 99% of the bulk mole fraction:
x A , δ =0.99 . x A , b

We can then solve:

 1
r=
1 c
+ . D AB .2 . ln 1+
R k (
x Aδ
2 )
The obtained radial position can be used to estimate the film thickness:
δ=r δ −R ≅ 6.6 cm

The mass transfer coefficient then simply

D AB
k c=
δ

Question 3 [13 marks]

Consider the equimolar counter diffusion of component of component A as it flows in a
cylindrical pipeline of diameter 2cm and length 5m.
a) Applying the generalised material balance and suitable geometry, develop the
unsteady state balance. [6]
b) For the case of steady state, turbulent flow, obtain the total absorption rate [7]

The general (geometry-independent) material balance is given by

d cA 2
=−u ∇ c A + D AB ∇ c A
dt
We note that for Cartesian coordinates ( x , y , z ) :
∂f ∂ f ∂ f
∇f= + +
∂x ∂ y ∂z
And
2 2 2
2 ∂ f ∂ f ∂ f
∇ f= 2
+ 2+ 2
∂x ∂ y ∂z

For cylindrical coordinates (θ , r , z):

∂ f 1 ∂f ∂f
∇f= + . +
∂r r ∂θ ∂ z
And

( )
2 2
2 1 ∂ ∂f 1 ∂ f ∂ f
∇ f= . r. + 2 2+ 2
r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ ∂ z
For spherical coordinates (r , θ1 ,θ 2):
∂f 1 ∂f 1 ∂f
∇f= + . + .
∂r r ∂θ 1 r sinθ 1 ∂ θ2

And

( ) ( )
2
2 1 ∂ 2 ∂f 1 ∂ ∂f 1 ∂ f
∇ f= 2
. r . + 2 . sin θ1 . + 2 2 . 2
r ∂r ∂ r r sin θ1 ∂θ 1 ∂ θ1 r sin θ 1 ∂ θ2

Solution
For the problem at hand, the most appropriate geometry is cylindrical. We also assume the
there are no gradients in the angle, and that the convection term only applies axially. We can
substitute in the balance to obtain
d cA 2
=−u ∇ c A + D AB ∇ c Aor
dt

[ ( ) ]
2
d cA dc 1 ∂ ∂c ∂c
=−u . A + D AB . r . A + 2A
dt dz r ∂r ∂r ∂z
We see that we require 5 boundary conditions:
1. c A ( t=0 , r , z )=c A 0
2. c A ( t ,r , z=0 )=c Ain

3. [ ]
dcA
dz z→L
=0

4. [ ]
dcA
dr r =0
=0

d cA
5. k ads . c A ( r=R , z )=−D AB .
dr