Plug Flow with Variable Area and Surface Chemistry

The Reynolds number, based on a hydraulic diameter, is Reo = puD/fi. In general the hydraulic diameter is given as D = 4AC/P, where Ac is the channel cross-sectional area. For a laminar flow, an analytic solution for flow in cylindrical tubes provides 

Taken together, the system of equations represents a set of stiff ordinary differential equations, which can be solved numerically. Because more than one dependent-variable derivative can appear in a single equation (e.g., the momentum equation has velocity and pressure derivatives), it is usually more convenient to use differential-algebraic equation (DAE) software (e.g., Dassl) for the solution rather than standard-form ODE software. 

3 PLUG FLOW WITH VARIABLE AREA AND SURFACE CHEMISTRY 

The plug-flow problem may be formulated with a variable cross-sectional area and heterogeneous chemistry on the channel walls. Although the cross-sectional area varies, we make a quasi-one-dimensional assumption in which the flow can still be represented with only one velocity component u. It is implicitly assumed that the area variation is sufficiently small and smooth that the one-dimensional approximation is valid. Otherwise a two- or three-dimensional analysis is needed. Including the surface chemistry causes the system of equations to change from an ordinary-differential equation system to a differential-algebraic equation system. 

Deriving the mass-continuity equation begins with a mass-conservation principle and the Reynolds transport theorem. Unlike the channel with chemically inert walls, when surface chemistry is included the mass-conservation law for the system may have a source term, 

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