Chemical Engineering Insights

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MTO
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MTO
MTO M O
TO
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MTO
WHAT ARE
M
TO

MASS
TRANSFER
OPERATIONS ?
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DEV SHARMA
 Mass Transfer Operations

MASS TRANSFER
OPERATIONS
Mass Transfer Operations are a set of processes that involve the movement of
a chemical species from one phase or location to another due to a concentration
difference (or gradient). This is a fundamental concept in chemical engineering,
used in processes like separation, purification, and chemical reactions.

What all can we evaluated by knowing the concepts of MTO?

Mass Transfer Rate Stage wise operations

Interfacial Area Equipment Sizing & Design
Concentration Profiles Phase Equilibria
Time for Mass Transfer Advance Mass Balance Calculations

BLUEPRINT of a CHEMICAL PROCESS INDUSTRY

REACTOR

Reactant Product
Preparation Reaction
Recovery
Steps Steps
Predominantly
- Purification - Purification
- phase/state change Mass Transfer - Removal of impurity
- Dissolution Operations - side product removal

MTO is Everywhere !!

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 Mass Transfer Operations

SOME OPERATIONS FOR MASS TRANSFER

Distillation Gas Absorption Solvent Extraction
Condensor
PURIFIED
GAS A+C B (Solvent)

DISTILLATE
Solvent

Purified A
FEED FEED

MIXER SETTLER

B+C
SOLVENT for Solvent Recovery
REGENERATION

Reboiler
BOTTOMS
Membrane Separation
Permeate
Leaching
Adsorption Crystallization FEED Retentate

Purified
Feed
Membrane - Mesh
Assembly

Drying

Cooler Steam Heated

Packed
Column

Ballman Extractor
Packings

Knife

Product FEED

FEED
Crystals
Rotary Drum Dryer

When to use which operation? >>>>

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 Mass Transfer Operations

SELECTION OF MASS TRANSFER OPERATIONS

State of Mass Separating Feed to Recovery
OPERATION
Feed (A+C) Agent(B) Next Step Operation

GAS Liquid(solvent) GAS Stripping

Liquid
ABSORPTION

Solid(adsorbent) ADSORPTION Solid Desorption

LIQUID Solid(adsorbent) ADSORPTION

SOLVENT Liquid Ordinary

Liquid(solvent)
EXTRACTION Mixture Distillation

Thermal Energy

T DISTILLATION
Solid Liquid Filtration
T CRYSTALLISATION
Slurry

SOLID Liquid(solvent) LEACHING LIQUID Stripping

(Concentration)

Gas DRYING
(hot air)
For Utility Purpose

LIQUID Gas HUMIDIFICATION

(cold air)
COOLING TOWERS

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 Chemical Engineering Insights

WHAT IS
DIFFUSION?

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 Mass Transfer Operations

DIFFUSION
Diffusion is the process by which molecules or particles move from a region of higher
concentration to a region of lower concentration due to their random thermal motion.
It continues until a uniform concentration is achieved throughout the system.

The rate of diffusion is described by:

Fick’s Law of Diffusion

- Molar Flux
- Diffusivity
- Concentration
- Net Movement in
direction of Diffusion

Diffusion Phenomenon

Bulk Diffusion Molecular Diffusion

The movement of molecules due to a concentration The movement of individual molecules from a region of
gradient in a system where a significant amount of material higher concentration to lower concentration due to random
flows as a group, often observed in gases or liquids in molecular motion, typically dominant in systems with
large-scale flows. minimal bulk flow.

A Combined Flux Eqn

B

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 Mass Transfer Operations

CALCULATION OF DIFFUSIVITY ( )
Chapman Enskog Equation
Diffusivity of
Gases
- Temperature
- Molecular Mass
- pressure
- Collision Diameter
- Temperature dependent term

Wilke Chang Relation

Diffusivity of
Liquids
- Temperature
- Molecular Mass
- Association Parameter
- Viscosity

R
- Specific Volume

GASES
Self Diffusion

=1
(ideal gases)

= 297
LIQUIDS (Self Diffusing
Using KTG Water)

SOLIDS
- avg. molecular velocity
- mean free path
- density
- viscosity

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 Mass Transfer Operations

ESTIMATION OF FLUX
A
Steps for Transport CASE (I)
Movement
1. Bulk Movement toward film [I] HIGH
LOW of only A
2. Film Movement [I] molecules
3. Film Movement [II] CASE (II)
4. Bulk Movement away from film [II] LOW
HIGH
HIGH
Movement
LOW
of both A &
1,4 --> Convective Transport
B molecules
2,3 --> Diffusional Transport

RATE LIMITING STEP --> DIFFUSION (ussually) A B

General Equation for Flux :

GASEOUS SYSTEM LIQUID SYSTEM

Diffusion of A in non diffusing B Diffusion of A in non diffusing B

- partial pressure - mole fraction

- log mean pressure diff. - log mean mole fraction

Countercurrent Diffusion of A & B Countercurrent Diffusion of A & B

(Equimolar) (Equimolar)

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 Chemical Engineering Insights

ANALOGY BETWEEN

MASS
HEAT &

MOMENTUM
TRANSFER

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 Mass Transfer Operations

ANALOGY BETWEEN TRANSPORT PHENOMENON

MOMENTUM MASS HEAT
TRANSFER TRANSFER TRANSFER
Newton’s law of Viscosity Fick’s Law of Diffusion Fourier’s law of Conduction

- Sheer Stress - Molar Flux - Heat Flux

- Viscosity - Diffusivity - Thermal Conductivity
- velocity - Concentration - Temperature
- Net Movement - Net Movement in - Net Movement in
Momentum Molecular direction of Diffusion Thermal
normal to fluid flow direction of Heat Transfer
Diffusivity Diffusivity Diffusivity

DRIVING FORCE & RESISTANCE TERMS

Velocity Gradient Concentration Temperature Gradient

between coordinates Gradient between two between two points in
in spacial directions differernt materials a body

VISCOUS RESISTANCE DIFFUSIONAL RESISTANCE THERMAL RESISTANCE

Due to analogous behavior the material balance, momentum balance and energy balance on complex
geometries can be performed easily by understanding in depth only one system.

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