Mass transfer physical properties

Abstract In this chapter we focus on the application of the piezoelectric-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique to create and study thin polymeric films. The electrochemical variant of the quartz crystal microbalance technique (EQCM) allows one to study changes in the interfacial mass and physical properties associated with electron transfer processes occurring at the electrode surface, such as those accompanying... 

The Sieder and Tate relation involving coefficient of heat transfer, mass velocity, physical properties of a fluid and inside tube diameter is shown in Figure 2-25 in terms of dimensionless groups with Reynolds number as abscissa. It will be seen from Figure 2-25 that there are three distinct zones of flow. The first is the streamline region for values of Reynolds number of 2,100 and less. The series of parallel lines is expressed by the equation shown in Figure 2-25. 

Fluid mixing is a unit operation carried out to homogenize fluids in terms of concentration of components, physical properties, and temperature, and create dispersions of mutually insoluble phases. It is frequently encountered in the process industry using various physical operations and mass-transfer/reaction systems (Table 1). These industries include petroleum (qv), chemical, food, pharmaceutical, paper (qv), and mining. The fundamental mechanism of this most common industrial operation involves physical movement of material between various parts of the whole mass (see Supplement). This is achieved by transmitting mechanical energy to force the fluid motion. 

Likewise, the microscopic heat-transfer term takes accepted empirical correlations for pure-component pool boiling and adds corrections for mass-transfer and convection effects on the driving forces present in pool boiling. In addition to dependence on the usual physical properties, the extent of superheat, the saturation pressure change related to the superheat, and a suppression factor relating mixture behavior to equivalent pure-component heat-transfer coefficients are correlating functions. 

Units employed in diffusivity correlations commonly followed the cgs system. Similarly, correlations for mass transfer correlations used the cgs or Enghsh system. In both cases, only the most recent correlations employ SI units. Since most correlations involve other properties and physical parameters, often with mixed units, they are repeated here as originally stated. Common conversion factors are listed in Table 1-4. 

Mass-transfer theory indicates that for trays of a given design the factors most hkely to inflnence E in absorption and stripping towers are the physical properties of the flnids and the dimensionless ratio Systems in which the mass transfer is gas-film-controlled may be expected to have plate efficiencies as high as 50 to 100 percent, whereas plate efficiencies as low as 1 percent have been reported for the absorption of gases of low sohibility (large m) into solvents of relatively high viscosity. 

The power for agitation of two-phase mixtures in vessels such as these is given by the cuiwes in Fig. 15-23. At low levels of power input, the dispersed phase holdup in the vessel ((j)/ ) can be less than the value in the feed (( )df) it will approach the value in the feed as the agitation is increased. Treybal Mass Transfer Operations, 3d ed., McGraw-HiU, New York, 1980) gives the following correlations for estimation of the dispersed phase holdup based on power and physical properties for disc flat-blade turbines ... 

A model of a reaction process is a set of data and equations that is believed to represent the performance of a specific vessel configuration (mixed, plug flow, laminar, dispersed, and so on). The equations include the stoichiometric relations, rate equations, heat and material balances, and auxihaiy relations such as those of mass transfer, pressure variation, contac ting efficiency, residence time distribution, and so on. The data describe physical and thermodynamic properties and, in the ultimate analysis, economic factors. 

For purely physical absorption, the mass-transfer coefficients depend on trie hydrodynamics and the physical properties of the phases. Many correlations exist for example, that of Dwivedi and Upadhyay (Ind. Eng. Chem. Proc. De.s. izDev.,... 

Engineering factors include (a) contaminant characteristics such as physical and chemical properties - concentration, particulate shape, size distribution, chemical reactivity, corrosivity, abrasiveness, and toxicity (b) gas stream characteristics such as volume flow rate, dust loading, temperature, pressure, humidity, composition, viscosity, density, reactivity, combustibility, corrosivity, and toxicity and (c) design and performance characteristics of the control system such as pressure drop, reliability, dependability, compliance with utility and maintenance requirements, and temperature limitations, as well as size, weight, and fractional efficiency curves for particulates and mass transfer or contaminant destruction capability for gases or vapors. 

Dl = diffusivity of transferring solute in liquid, m /sec If the diffusivity, Dl, needed for use in the above equations is not known, it can be estimated from data or methods given in the Perry s Chemical Engineers, Handbook (Section 14 in 4th Edition or Section 3 in 5th Edition). Note that the calculation of the mass transfer coefficients for a given regime involves only physical properties and is independent of agitation conditions. 

This chapter introduces the important topics of fluid flow, properties of gases, heat and mass transfer, and physical/chemical characteristics of contaminants. The aim is to assist all engaged in industrial air technology in understanding the physical background of the issues involved. 

Conduction takes place at a solid, liquid, or vapor boundary through the collisions of molecules, without mass transfer taking place. The process of heat conduction is analogous to that of electrical conduction, and similar concepts and calculation methods apply. The thermal conductivity of matter is a physical property and is its ability to conduct heat. Thermal conduction is a function of both the temperature and the properties of the material. The system is often considered as being homogeneous, and the thermal conductivity is considered constant. Thermal conductivity, A, W m, is defined using Fourier s law. 

Loop Tests Loop test installations vary widely in size and complexity, but they may be divided into two major categories (c) thermal-convection loops and (b) forced-convection loops. In both types, the liquid medium flows through a continuous loop or harp mounted vertically, one leg being heated whilst the other is cooled to maintain a constant temperature across the system. In the former type, flow is induced by thermal convection, and the flow rate is dependent on the relative heights of the heated and cooled sections, on the temperature gradient and on the physical properties of the liquid. The principle of the thermal convective loop is illustrated in Fig. 19.26. This method was used by De Van and Sessions to study mass transfer of niobium-based alloys in flowing lithium, and by De Van and Jansen to determine the transport rates of nitrogen and carbon between vanadium alloys and stainless steels in liquid sodium. 

Measurement of the absorption rate of carbon dioxide in aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide has been used in some of the more recent work on mass-transfer rate in gas-liquid dispersions (D6, N3, R4, R5, V5, W2, W4, Y3). Although this absorption has a disadvantage because of the high solubility of C02 as compared to 02, it has several advantages over the sulfite-oxidation method. For example, it is relatively insensitive to impurities, and the physical properties of the liquid can be altered by the addition of other liquids without appreciably affecting the chemical kinetics. Yoshida and... 

In processing, it is frequently necessary to separate a mixture into its components and, in a physical process, differences in a particular property are exploited as the basis for the separation process. Thus, fractional distillation depends on differences in volatility. gas absorption on differences in solubility of the gases in a selective absorbent and, similarly, liquid-liquid extraction is based on on the selectivity of an immiscible liquid solvent for one of the constituents. The rate at which the process takes place is dependent both on the driving force (concentration difference) and on the mass transfer resistance. In most of these applications, mass transfer takes place across a phase boundary where the concentrations on either side of the interface are related by the phase equilibrium relationship. Where a chemical reaction takes place during the course of the mass transfer process, the overall transfer rate depends on both the chemical kinetics of the reaction and on the mass transfer resistance, and it is important to understand the relative significance of these two factors in any practical application. 

If a concentration gradient exists within a fluid flowing over a surface, mass transfer will take place, and the whole of the resistance to transfer can be regarded as lying within a diffusion boundary layer in the vicinity of the surface. If the concentration gradients, and hence the mass transfer rates, are small, variations in physical properties may be neglected and it can be shown that the velocity and thermal boundary layers are unaffected 55. For low concentrations of the diffusing component, the effects of bulk flow will be small and the mass balance equation for component A is ... 

In the previous section, the molecular basis for the processes of momentum transfer, heat transfer and mass transfer has been discussed. It has been shown that, in a fluid in which there is a momentum gradient, a temperature gradient or a concentration gradient, the consequential momentum, heat and mass transfer processes arise as a result of the random motion of the molecules. For an ideal gas, the kinetic theory of gases is applicable and the physical properties p,/p, k/Cpp and D, which determine the transfer rates, are all seen to be proportional to the product of a molecular velocity and the mean free path of the molecules. 

When the mass transfer process deviates significantly from equimolecular counterdiffusion, allowance must be made for the fact that there may be a very large difference in the molar rates of transfer of the two components. Thus, in a gas absorption process, there will be no transfer of the insoluble component B across the interface and only the soluble component A will be transferred. This problem will now be considered in relation to the Reynolds Analogy. However, it gives manageable results only if physical properties such as density are taken as constant and therefore results should be applied with care. 

Obtain the Taylor-Prandtl modification of the Reynolds Analogy between momentum transfer and mass transfer (equimolecular counterdiffusion) for the turbulent flow of a fluid over a surface. Write down the corresponding analogy for heat transfer. State clearly the assumptions which are made. For turbulent flow over a surface, the film heat transfer coefficient for the fluid is found to be 4 kW/m2 K. What would the corresponding value of the mass transfer coefficient be. given the following physical properties ... 

The present model takes into account how capillary, friction and gravity forces affect the flow development. The parameters which influence the flow mechanism are evaluated. In the frame of the quasi-one-dimensional model the theoretical description of the phenomena is based on the assumption of uniform parameter distribution over the cross-section of the liquid and vapor flows. With this approximation, the mass, thermal and momentum equations for the average parameters are used. These equations allow one to determine the velocity, pressure and temperature distributions along the capillary axis, the shape of the interface surface for various geometrical and regime parameters, as well as the influence of physical properties of the liquid and vapor, micro-channel size, initial temperature of the cooling liquid, wall heat flux and gravity on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. 

Virtual prototyping will be the future method to develop new reactors and chemical processes. With a good description of the fluid dynamics, and mass and heat transfer in the reactor, the specific chemical reactions and physical properties of the fluid can be changed and a process optimization can be performed in virtual... 

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