Table of Contents

DIMENSIONLESS NUMBER: ........................................................................................................................... 2

INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Dimensionless numbers in Mass Transfer: ................................................................................................... 3
Sherwood number: ................................................................................................................................... 3
Froude Number (Fr): ................................................................................................................................. 3
Schmidt number: ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Lewis Number (Le): ................................................................................................................................... 4
Mach Number (Ma): ................................................................................................................................. 4
Importance of dimensionless numbers: ....................................................................................................... 5
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBER:
In dimensional analysis, a dimensionless quantity is a quantity to which no
physical dimension is assigned. There are certain quantities which have units
but they are dimensionless. The quantity used as a standard of measurement is
called unit. There is no physical quantity which has dimensions but no units,
because unitsare derived from the dimensional analysis itself. However, on the
contrary, there are some physical quantities which have no dimensions
but still have units. For eg. Solid angle, angular velocity etc.
INTRODUCTION:
The use of dimensionless numbers in engineering and physics allows the
important task of data reduction of similar problems. This means that a lot of
experimental runs are avoided if data is correlated using appropriate
dimensionless parameters. There are two widely used ways for obtaining the
dimensionless numbers. The first one is the use of the well-known π-theorem
(Langhaar, 1951), where it is, first, chosen the important variables of the physical
process, including physical properties, geometry and flow variables, followed by
the solution of a linear system for determining the exponents of the different
variables which form the dimensionless numbers

Dimensionless numbers in Mass Transfer:

Sherwood number:
is a dimensionless number used in mass-transfer operation. It represents the ratio
of the convective mass transfer to the rate of diffusive mass transport.

ℎ
Sh = 𝑑
𝑙
Where

L is a characteristic length (m)

D is mass diffusivity (m2.s−1)

h is the convective mass transfer film coefficient (m.s−1

Froude Number (Fr):

The Froude Number, Fr, is a measure of the ratio of the inertial and gravitational
forces. It is often used to analyses fluid flow problems where there is a free
surface. For example, in agitated vessels, Fr governs the formation of free surface
vortices.
 𝑣
Fr=
(𝑔.𝑙 )1\2

Where,

v = Velocity

l = Characteristic length

g = Acceleration due to gravity

Schmidt number:
The ratio of the molecular momentum transfer to the molecular mass transfer.

Schmidt number =μ/ρ D

Where,

D = Diffusivity

μ = Dynamic viscosity

p = Fluid density

Lewis Number (Le):

Ratio of thermal diffusivity to mass diffusivity.

Fluid flow with simultaneous Heat & mass transfer by convection.

It is also ratio of Schmidt number to Prandtl number.

Le=𝛼/𝐷𝐴𝐵

Mach Number (Ma):

The Mach number, Ma, is the ratio of the fluid velocity to the velocity of sound in
that medium.

In Chemical Engineering, the Mach number is commonly used in calculations

involving high velocity gas flow.
 u
Ma=
A

Where,

u = Velocity of fluid

a = Speed of sound in fluid medium

Fourier number for mass transfer:

The ratio of diffusive mass transport rate to the mass storage rate.

Fo* = D t / 12

Importance of dimensionless numbers:

Knowing the fundamental physical details of the growth of the momentum and
thermal boundary layer of a flow, it considerably helps the understanding of the
physical significance of some important dimensionless parameters used in heat
transfer and fluid flow. Dimensionless number makes solution of a problem
easier. Because by using that we can correlate heat transfer and mass transfer for
a same condition of problem.