ChE 131 Transport Processes

Introduction to
Transport Phenomena

Outline
Welcome to the class
What is transport phenomena?
Why is it important for chemical engineers?
How are we going to learn it in this class?
Basic concepts and definitions

What is Transport Phenomena?

Application of conservation equations
Analysis of how physical systems approach equilibrium
A core chemical engineering science
Traditionally comprised of

Momentum
Transfer

Heat Transfer

Mass Transfer

What is Transport Phenomena?

Application of conservation equations
Mass, energy, chemical species, momentum (linear and
angular), charge, etc.

Whether the system is

Transport Phenomena in ChE

Transport Phenomena in Other Fields

Class Policies
University rule on attendance: max of 6 absences
>6 and the instructor has the prerogative to drop you from the
class

Exams

Mondays (Mar 9, Apr 20, May 18, May 25)

Submit answer sheets one meeting BEFORE the exam
Automatic 10-point deduction for late answer sheets
One-week grievance period ONLY
NO make-up exam

Design Project
To be done in teams of 3 (all members in the same section)
Details TBA (after LE1)

Basic Concepts and Definitions

Functional notation: (, , , )
Steady-state:
Uniform:

,,

=0
,,

,,

=0
,,

Flux = flow rate / area

Volume: =

Momentum: 1
=
1

Energy: = 2
1

Mass: = 2

velocity

stress

Basic Concepts and Definitions

Total flow rate
If flux is constant: flux x area
If flux is varying with area:

Average flow rate:

Total volume property or rate

If property or rate is uniform or constant:

If property or rate is varying with volume:

Basic Concepts and Definitions

Ex. Energy generation rate per unit volume as a result
of an electric current passing through a rectangular
plate of cross sectional area A and thickness L is given

by = 0 sin
What is the unit of S0 in SI system?
Calculate the total energy generation rate in the plate

Basic Concepts and Definitions

Ex. A fluid is flowing in the z-direction between two
parallel plates of length L and width W, separated by a
distance 2B. The steady-state velocity profile given as
2

=
1
2

Calculate the average velocity.

Express the velocity profile in terms of the average velocity
Calculate the volumetric flow rate.

Basic Concepts and Definitions

Ex. A fluid is flowing in the z-direction between two
parallel plates of length L and width W, separated by a
distance 2B.
Show that if the coordinate system was chosen as shown
below, the velocity profile will be
2

2
=
2

Show that the average velocity and volumetric flow rate are
the same in both coordinate systems.