CME 490/590 Fall 2014

Comfort
9/15/14
Transport in Biological Systems
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Two major modes of mass transport
1) Convection bulk fluid motion






2) Diffusion molecular motion
Random thermodynamically driven molecule motion
Molecules like to be uniformly dispersed
x A
v
x
Density of target
molecule A x velocity in
the x direction
Lets look at a control
volume
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
What is a flux (N)?
Flux = the amount of material crossing a unit area normal to the
direction of transport in a given unit of time
Units [=] mass/area-time

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Stresses = Force/Surface Area
Shear stress- force applied tangentially (joints, eyelids on eyeballs)
Normal stress- force applied perpendicular to surface (blood, fluid flow)
Viscosity measure of frictional resistance of fluid to the flow
(higher viscosity = thicker fluid)
Density- property of how closely material is packed or arranged
Kinematic viscosity= (viscosity/density) similar to diffusivity [=] m
2
/s
Reynolds Number tells us laminar/turbulent flow = inertial forces/viscous forces
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Dimensionless Analysis
Reynolds Number, Re = Lv/
(Inertial forces)/(viscous forces)

Peclet Number, Pe = vL/D
ij
(Mass transport by convection)/(mass transport by diffusion)
>1, convection will be favored, <1, diffusion will be favored
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Diffusion / Convection Time Scales
Quantity Length Scale
(m)
Proteins and nucleic acids 10
-8
Organelles 10
-7
Cells 10
-5
to 10
-6
Capillary spacing 10
-4
Organs 10
-1
Whole body 10
0
Relevant Length Scales in
Biological Systems
0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
10000
100000
0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1
T
i
m
e
,

s

Distance, cm
Effect of distance on diffusion
and convection times
Adapted from: Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems by GA Truskey, F Yuan, and DF Katz
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Relative Importance of Diffusion and Convection
Molecule MW (g/mole) D
ij
(cm
2
/ s) Diffusion Time,
L
2
/D
ij
Pe = Lv/D
ij
Oxygen 32 2 x 10
-5
5 0.05
Glucose 180 2 x 10
-6
50 0.50
Insulin 6,000 1 x 10
-6
100 1.0
Antibody 150,000 6 x 10
-7
167 1.67
Particles Diameter D
ij
(cm
2
/s) Diffusion Time
(s)
Pe
Virus 0.1 m 5 x 10
-8
2,000 20
Bacterium 1 m 5 x 10
-9
20,000 200
Cell 10 m 5 x 10
-10
200,000 2,000
For L = 100 m, and if v = 1 m/s, the time for convection is always equal to L/v = 100 s for all molecules and particles.
Adapted from: Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems by GA Truskey, F Yuan, and DF Katz
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Nomenclature:
Fixed axes mass flux (what were used to):
Mass, n
Az =
i

i
[=]kg/m
2
s
Molar, N
az= C
i
V
i
[=] mol/m
2
s

Moving axes mass flux (diffusion):
Mass, j
Az
Molar, J
Az

A
w
n =
mass flow rate
Notes:
1) All fluxes have 2 subscripts:
Letter 1: Molecule/component that we are examining flux of
Letter 2: Direction of flux (x, y, z)

2) Lowercase is mass, uppercase is molar
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Nomenclature continued:
( )
z Az A Az
v v j = e
( )
* *
z Az A Az
v v cx J =
( )
z Az A Az
v v cx J =
mass average velocity of mixture in z-direction
this form is seldom used
molar average velocity of mixture in z-direction concentration
mole fraction of A
Az A Az
v n e =
mass fraction of species A
g/cm
3
*cm/s [=] g/cm
2
-s
mass average velocity of mixture in z-direction
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Solving mass transport problems
Start with a mass balance (Component i):




Typical boundary conditions:
Set flux at boundary
Set concentration at boundary
Relationship between 2 species (i.e. Henrys law)
Known reaction rate
) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) (
i n Consumptio i Generation
i Moles i Moles i Accum
exiting entering
+
=
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Control Volume Balance
Rate of
Accumulation of
mass of i in
control volume
=
Transport of
mass of i into
control volume
-
Transport of mass of
i out of control
volume
+
Gain/loss of mass of
i due to chemical
reaction
Physical constraints on systems Boundary Conditions
Set concentration at boundary
Gas-liquid Interface
Relationship between 2 species (i.e. Henrys law)
Impermeable Solid No flux at surface
Set flux at boundary
Permeable Solid
Chemical Reaction N
ix
|
1
= R
ix
|
2
Known reaction rate

CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Diffusion in a thin slab
Diffusive mass transport











Concentration profile in a thin slab

Helium slowly
penetrating
a solid slab through
diffusion


Top surface replaced
quickly
(e.g., gas is swept away
by a stream of air)

A
is the mass fraction of species A

For this case, the solid sets the average velocity to zero
and thus this is the same as fixed axes.
Silica fused plate, top & bottom in
contact with air
Air below is replaced with
He
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Ficks Law
Flux of component A through species B in the z-
direction due to a concentration gradient in the z-
direction

dz
dC
D
dz
d
D j
L
D
A
w
A
AB
A
AB Az
A
AB
= =
A
=
e

diffusivity
mass fraction of species A
mixture density
mass flow rate
Concentration of species A
Unit check:
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Equations of change - Mass
Mass balance equation of change (multi-component
equation of continuity)
Mass/Molar flux form
Appendix B.10 (BSL)
Table 7.1 (TPBS)

Mass/Mole fraction form (assuming Ficks law)
Appendix B.11 (BSL)
Table 7.2 (TPBS)

Definitions/interrelationships
Tables 17.7-1, 17.7-2, 17.8-1, 17.8-2 (BSL)

CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Appendix B.10 (BSL)
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Appendix B.11 (BSL)
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Important Interrelationships
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Important Interrelationships
From TPBS
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Solving problems
Governing equation needs to be simplified through use
of continuity equations





Evaluate/determine occurring reactions (R
A
)

Apply boundary conditions

Solve
( )
z B z A A
A
AB z A
N N x
z
x
cD N + +
c
c
=
Typically need to eliminate one of these to solve
CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
1. Diffusion Through Skin (Cartesian)
Determine the pseudo steady state concentration
profile of a solute as it diffuses through skin. Initial
concentration at the surface is determined to be a
function of the solution concentration in a patch (at
x=0, C
M
=*C
o
) and the concentration at the
capillary is expected to be a function of the solute
concentration in blood (at x=L, C
M
=*CL)

CME 490/590 Fall 2014
Comfort
Cylindrical System Example (Annulus)
A drug is supplied in the blood. The concentration at
the interior arterial wall in C
b
(r=R
b
). At the outer
part of the arterial wall, conc=C
0
(r=R
0
). Determine
the steady state concentration profile and flux of the
drug into the artery at R
b
. Neglect chemical
reactions.