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Film Theory
In the previous
lectures,
diffusion and
mass transfer
within fluids
were
considered.
Film Theory
Diffusion
within
fluids
Diffusion
between
fluids
Film theory
NOTE: Read pg. 53-54 of McCabe, Smith and Harriot for the profile of
fluid flow (laminar & turbulent) and their relationship with Reynolds
number, Re.
Film theory
Nernst proposed film theory in 1904
for turbulent mass transfer to or
from a fluid phase boundary.
The entire resistance to mass
transfer in a given turbulent phase
is in a thin, stagnant region of that
phase at the interface, called film.
The film is shown schematically in the above figure for the case of a gas-liquid
interface, where the gas is pure component A, which diffuses into nonvolatile
liquid B. A is absorbed into liquid B, without desorption of B into A.
Film theory
3 regions of mass transfer (MT) can be visualized:
Region
Position
Type of MT
Transition/buffer
region, adjacent to the
first region.
Film Theory
The concentration drop from
cA1 adjacent to the surface is
very close to the surface and
then levels off. The average or
mixed concentration cA is
slightly greater than the
minimum cA2. The film theory
postulates that the
concentration will follow the
broken curve (Figure 3). The
entire concentration difference
(cA1 cA2) is attributed to
molecular diffusion within an
effective film thickness, zT.