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Understanding Molecular and Convective Diffusion

Mass transfer can occur through molecular diffusion or convective diffusion. Molecular diffusion is driven solely by concentration gradients, while convective diffusion involves bulk fluid flow. The total mass transfer is the sum of molecular and convective diffusion. For example, perfume spreading from a moving person involves both molecular diffusion relative to a stationary observer, as well as an additional convective component due to the person's motion. Distillation columns also experience both molecular and convective diffusion due to the flow of liquid and vapor streams.

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Sunil Kumar
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147 views2 pages

Understanding Molecular and Convective Diffusion

Mass transfer can occur through molecular diffusion or convective diffusion. Molecular diffusion is driven solely by concentration gradients, while convective diffusion involves bulk fluid flow. The total mass transfer is the sum of molecular and convective diffusion. For example, perfume spreading from a moving person involves both molecular diffusion relative to a stationary observer, as well as an additional convective component due to the person's motion. Distillation columns also experience both molecular and convective diffusion due to the flow of liquid and vapor streams.

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Sunil Kumar
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Mass Transfer: Molecular Diffusion flux (JA) and Total Diffusion Flux (NA)

Mass diffusion can occur in two ways; one is molecular diffusion and other is convective
diffusion. In molecular diffusion the driving force is concentration difference while in convective
diffusion there is bulk velocity.
For example (assume unidirectional diffusion) if a person has put perfume on his body, when he
and observer both are either stationary or moving with same velocity, then the diffusion of
perfume molecules with reference to observer is due to concentration difference [Link]
diffusion flux (JA) and if the person is moving and the observer is stationary then diffusion is
having both the effects: molecular as well as convective i.e. total flux (NA).
Total Flux = molecular flux + convective flux
NA

[Link]

JA + cA.v
cA(vA v) + cA.v

Where vA is the avg. velocity of all A like species and v is the avg. velocity of the carrier relative
to observer means average of carrier velocity and velocity of A molecules . In the above
example, vA is the velocity of all perfume particles and v is the avg. velocity of the person and
perfume particles. So, the difference cA(vA v) corresponds to molecular diffusion and cA.v
corresponds to convective diffusion. If a person observes the flux of perfume of one person
moving with perfume and other stationary with perfume, then the difference between the two
corresponds to convective diffusion. The other example can be taken of agarbatti and dhoops, the
aroma spreads in still air due to combined effect of concentration difference and thermal effect if
air blows then there will also be the effect of convective diffusion.

In distillation column, the flow of liquid and vapor streams leads to molecular as well as
convective diffusion.

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