Kinetics micropore diffusion coefficient

The development of mixture sorption kinetics becomes increasingly Important since a number of purification and separation processes involves sorption at the condition of thermodynamic non-equilibrium. For their optimization, the kinetics of multicomponent sorption are to be modelled and the rate parameters have to be identified. Especially, in microporous sorbents, due to the high density of the sorption phase and, therefore, the mutual Influences of sorbing species, a knowledge of the matrix of diffusion coefficients is needed [6]. The complexity of the phenomena demands combined experimental and theoretical research. Actual directions of the development in this field are as follows ... 

This type of diffusion takes place when the pore diameter is large compared to the mean free path of the gas molecules. In this case collisions between the molecules represent the main barrier to diffusion. In contrast to micropore diffusion, macropore diffusion, which is largely determined by this mechanism, is not an activated process. The order of magnitude of the diffusion coefficient for a gas A can be estimated by means of the simple kinetic gas theory (Equation 2.1-22)... 

Figure 2.37 Permeability coefficients as a function of the gas kinetic diameter in micro-porous silica hollow fine fibers [58]. Reprinted from J. Membr. Sci. 75, A.B. Shelekhin, A.G. Dixon and Y.H. Ma, Adsorption, Permeation, and Diffusion of Gases in Microporous Membranes, 233, Copyright 1992, with permission from Elsevier...

Pore sixe distribution data obtained from gas desorption (Barret et al. 1951) and mercury porisimetry experiments together with a knowledge of adsorbate molecular size thus enables the mode of diffusive transport to be ascertained. It should be noted that both molecular and Knudsen diffusion may occur in the same porous medium when the porous medium contains both macropores and micropores (revealed from an analysis of a bimodal pore size distribution curve). Unconstrained molecular diffusion. Dm, and Knudsen diffusion, Dk, coefficients are subsequently calculated from formulae derived from transport properties of fluids (gaseous and liquid) and the kinetic theory of gases. The molecular diffusivity for a binary gas mixture of A and B is evaluated from the Chapman-Enskog theory (Chapman and Cowling 1951) equation... 

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