Transport phenomena fundamentals from "summary" of Introduction to Chemical Engineering by Uche P. Nnaji
Transport phenomena are essential concepts in chemical engineering that involve the movement of mass, energy, and momentum between two or more points. This fundamental topic covers the basic principles and equations which are used to analyze the mass, energy, and momentum transfer processes that occur in a wide variety of chemical engineering applications.- Fundamental concepts in transport phenomena are pertinent to the field of chemical engineering. These concepts include mass, energy, momentum transfer, and various associated boundary layers.
- Mass transfer occurs when materials from one point to another travel through a porous medium, such as air or a fluid containing suspended particles.
- Many of these transport phenomena create instabilities that affect the dynamics of the material involved. Understanding these threads helps chemists design processes with desired outcomes.
- Diffusion is a form of transport across a boundary layer wherein disordered substance is converted into more ordered physical states.
- Momentum transfer involves the exchange of momentum between two substances, often a gas or a liquid. This is typically accomplished through disturbances in the media, such as turbulence caused by the movement of the fluid.
- Energy transfer is the process by which thermal energy is transferred between two objects due to differences in temperature. It can occur from conduction, convection, or radiation.
- Adsorption is the phenomenon whereby molecules attach themselves to a surface. This impacts the viscosity, solubility, and diffusion rate of the solution.
- Boundary layers help to regulate the flow of material and energy from one place to the next, and play an important role in understanding different dynamic processes.
- The principles of convection involve a difference in density among two liquids or gases, causing one to move away from the other. In this case, energy is also transferred.
