🧪Advanced Chemical Engineering Science Unit 4 – Transport Phenomena

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Transport phenomena encompasses the study of momentum, heat, and mass transfer in systems
• Momentum transfer involves the transport of velocity and forces within a system (fluid flow, stresses)
• Heat transfer deals with the transport of thermal energy from one region to another (conduction, convection, radiation)
• Mass transfer describes the movement of chemical species within a system (diffusion, convection)
  • Includes both molecular diffusion and convective mass transfer
• Conservation equations are mathematical expressions that describe the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy in a system
  • Based on the fundamental principles of physics
• Boundary layer theory explains the behavior of fluids near solid surfaces (velocity, thermal, concentration boundary layers)
• Dimensionless numbers are used to characterize transport processes and relate them to system properties (Reynolds number, Prandtl number, Schmidt number)
• Analogies between different transport processes allow for the application of similar mathematical treatments (Reynolds analogy, Chilton-Colburn analogy)

Fundamental Transport Processes

• Transport processes are driven by gradients in properties such as velocity, temperature, and concentration
• Momentum transport is caused by pressure gradients and shear stresses in fluids
  • Described by Newton's law of viscosity: $\tau = \mu \frac{du}{dy}$
• Heat transfer occurs due to temperature gradients and can be classified into three modes:
  • Conduction: heat transfer through a solid or stationary fluid (Fourier's law)
  • Convection: heat transfer between a surface and a moving fluid (Newton's law of cooling)
  • Radiation: heat transfer through electromagnetic waves (Stefan-Boltzmann law)
• Mass transfer is driven by concentration gradients and can occur through diffusion and convection
  • Diffusion is described by Fick's first law: $J_A = -D_{AB} \frac{dC_A}{dx}$
• Convective transport is influenced by fluid motion and can enhance heat and mass transfer rates
• Transport processes often occur simultaneously and are coupled in many engineering applications (heat exchangers, reactors)

Momentum Transport

• Momentum transport deals with the motion of fluids and the forces acting on them
• Fluid flow can be classified as laminar or turbulent based on the Reynolds number: $Re = \frac{\rho u D}{\mu}$
  • Laminar flow occurs at low Reynolds numbers and is characterized by smooth, parallel streamlines
  • Turbulent flow occurs at high Reynolds numbers and features chaotic, fluctuating motion
• The Navier-Stokes equations describe the conservation of momentum in fluids:
  • $\rho \frac{D\vec{u}}{Dt} = -\nabla p + \mu \nabla^2 \vec{u} + \rho \vec{g}$
• Pressure drop in pipes and channels can be calculated using the Darcy-Weisbach equation:
  • $\Delta p = f \frac{L}{D} \frac{\rho u^2}{2}$, where $f$ is the Darcy friction factor
• Flow through porous media is described by Darcy's law: $u = -\frac{K}{\mu} \frac{dp}{dx}$
• Non-Newtonian fluids exhibit complex rheological behavior (shear-thinning, shear-thickening)
  • Their viscosity depends on the applied shear rate or shear stress
• Boundary layer theory is used to analyze fluid flow near solid surfaces
  • Velocity boundary layer develops due to the no-slip condition at the wall

Heat Transfer

• Heat transfer involves the transport of thermal energy from high-temperature regions to low-temperature regions
• Conduction is the transfer of heat through a solid or stationary fluid
  • Governed by Fourier's law: $q'' = -k \frac{dT}{dx}$, where $k$ is the thermal conductivity
• Convection is the transfer of heat between a surface and a moving fluid
  • Described by Newton's law of cooling: $q'' = h(T_s - T_\infty)$, where $h$ is the convective heat transfer coefficient
• Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves
  • Governed by the Stefan-Boltzmann law: $q'' = \varepsilon \sigma (T_s^4 - T_{surr}^4)$, where $\varepsilon$ is the emissivity and $\sigma$ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant
• The overall heat transfer rate can be calculated using thermal resistance networks
  • Analogous to electrical resistance networks (series and parallel arrangements)
• Heat exchangers are devices used to transfer heat between two fluids
  • Effectiveness-NTU method is used for design and analysis of heat exchangers
• Boiling and condensation are phase-change heat transfer processes
  • Characterized by high heat transfer rates and complex flow patterns

Mass Transfer

• Mass transfer deals with the transport of chemical species within a system
• Diffusion is the movement of species due to concentration gradients
  • Described by Fick's first law: $J_A = -D_{AB} \frac{dC_A}{dx}$, where $D_{AB}$ is the diffusion coefficient
• Convective mass transfer involves the transport of species by fluid motion
  • Characterized by the mass transfer coefficient: $N_A'' = k_c (C_{A,s} - C_{A,\infty})$
• The analogy between heat and mass transfer allows for the use of similar correlations (Sherwood number, Schmidt number)
• Mass transfer with chemical reaction is important in many industrial processes (catalytic reactors, gas absorption)
  • Reaction kinetics and mass transfer rates can be coupled
• Separation processes, such as distillation and extraction, rely on mass transfer principles
  • Equilibrium and rate-based approaches are used for design and analysis
• Adsorption is the accumulation of species on a solid surface
  • Described by adsorption isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich)
• Membrane processes, such as reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration, involve selective mass transfer through semi-permeable membranes

Conservation Equations

• Conservation equations are mathematical expressions that describe the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy in a system
• The continuity equation represents the conservation of mass:
  • $\frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t} + \nabla \cdot (\rho \vec{u}) = 0$
• The momentum conservation equation (Navier-Stokes equations) describes the balance of forces in a fluid:
  • $\rho \frac{D\vec{u}}{Dt} = -\nabla p + \mu \nabla^2 \vec{u} + \rho \vec{g}$
• The energy conservation equation accounts for the transport and generation of thermal energy:
  • $\rho c_p \frac{DT}{Dt} = k \nabla^2 T + \dot{q}'''$
• The species conservation equation describes the transport and reaction of chemical species:
  • $\frac{\partial C_A}{\partial t} + \nabla \cdot (C_A \vec{u}) = D_{AB} \nabla^2 C_A + r_A$
• Conservation equations can be simplified based on the specific problem and assumptions (steady-state, incompressible flow)
• Numerical methods, such as finite difference and finite element methods, are used to solve conservation equations in complex geometries
• Boundary conditions and initial conditions are required to obtain unique solutions to conservation equations

Boundary Layer Theory

• Boundary layer theory describes the behavior of fluids near solid surfaces
• The velocity boundary layer develops due to the no-slip condition at the wall
  • Velocity increases from zero at the wall to the freestream velocity
• The thermal boundary layer develops when there is a temperature difference between the fluid and the surface
  • Temperature profile changes from the surface temperature to the freestream temperature
• The concentration boundary layer forms when there is a concentration difference between the fluid and the surface
  • Concentration profile varies from the surface concentration to the freestream concentration
• Boundary layer thickness is defined as the distance from the surface where the velocity, temperature, or concentration reaches 99% of the freestream value
• Laminar boundary layers are characterized by smooth, parallel streamlines
  • Described by the Blasius solution for flow over a flat plate
• Turbulent boundary layers exhibit chaotic, fluctuating motion
  • Characterized by increased mixing and enhanced transport rates
• Boundary layer separation occurs when the fluid flow detaches from the surface
  • Can lead to increased drag and reduced heat and mass transfer rates
• Boundary layer control techniques, such as suction and blowing, can be used to manipulate the boundary layer and improve performance

Applications in Chemical Engineering

• Transport phenomena play a crucial role in the design and analysis of chemical engineering processes
• Heat exchangers are widely used for heat transfer between process streams
  • Design considerations include heat transfer area, pressure drop, and fouling
• Reactors involve the interplay of momentum, heat, and mass transfer along with chemical reactions
  • Mixing, heat removal, and mass transfer limitations can impact reactor performance
• Distillation columns rely on mass transfer principles to separate liquid mixtures based on differences in volatility
  • Design involves the determination of the number of stages, reflux ratio, and column dimensions
• Packed bed reactors are used for gas-solid catalytic reactions
  • Pressure drop, heat transfer, and mass transfer are important design considerations
• Fluidized bed reactors involve the flow of a fluid through a bed of solid particles
  • Used for processes such as catalytic cracking and gasification
• Membrane processes, such as reverse osmosis and gas separation, utilize selective mass transfer through membranes
  • Design factors include membrane material, permeability, and module configuration
• Cooling towers are used for heat rejection in process industries
  • Involve simultaneous heat and mass transfer between water and air
• Drying processes rely on heat and mass transfer to remove moisture from solids
  • Design considerations include drying rate, energy efficiency, and product quality

Advanced Topics and Current Research

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to simulate and analyze complex fluid flow and transport processes
  • Involves the numerical solution of conservation equations using advanced algorithms and high-performance computing
• Microfluidics deals with the behavior of fluids in small-scale devices (microchannels, lab-on-a-chip)
  • Surface forces and interfacial phenomena become dominant at the microscale
• Nanoscale transport phenomena are important in the design of nanomaterials and nanodevices
  • Involves the study of transport processes at the molecular and atomic scales
• Multiphase flow is encountered in many industrial processes (bubble columns, spray drying)
  • Involves the interaction and transport of multiple fluid phases (gas-liquid, liquid-liquid, gas-solid)
• Non-equilibrium thermodynamics provides a framework for analyzing transport processes in systems far from equilibrium
  • Deals with the coupling of transport processes and the generation of entropy
• Soft matter and complex fluids exhibit unique transport properties (viscoelasticity, yield stress)
  • Examples include polymers, colloids, and biological fluids
• Transport in porous media is relevant to applications such as oil and gas recovery, groundwater flow, and fuel cells
  • Involves the flow and transport through interconnected pore networks
• Electrokinetic transport phenomena deal with the motion of fluids and particles under the influence of electric fields
  • Used in applications such as electrophoresis, electroosmosis, and electrowetting
• Interfacial transport phenomena are crucial in processes involving multiphase systems (emulsions, foams)
  • Involves the transport of mass, momentum, and energy across fluid-fluid interfaces