ME6203 Mass Transport

Single droplet evaporation and drying

Problem statement Water droplet evaporation experiment is carried out. Variation of the mass of droplet vs. drying time is shown in Figure 1. The experimental conditions are as follows: Temperature of air surrounding water droplet, oC Temperature of droplet, oC Wet %ul% temperature of am%ient air, oC 'ry %ul% temperature of am%ient air, oC Velocity of air, v *m+s, -nitial diameter of water droplet, ' *m, -nitial mass of droplet, m *g, The o%served drying time, t *s, From above data: (1) Determine the evaporation rate using energy balance and mass transfer/diffusion methods. lso! compare the numerical results "ith the attached e#perimental results. ($) Discuss the effects of air humidity! air velocity! air operating pressure and temperature on drying performance !".! #$.# #1.& #(.) 1.) ).))#)&#
!.&## 1) .

.&!*s,

Figure 1 /ass of water droplet vs. drying time at air temperature !".!oC and air velocity 1.)m+s Solutions: (Method-1: based on the energy balance) From ta%les, 0r 1a 5a 6d ).$)#$ 12.!( x 1)3( 4g+ms 1.)2"4g+m. #$.$"2& x 1)3. W+m.6

For estimation of the convective heat transfer coefficient, we have the following correlation:
Dv a hcD = #.) +).( a Kd
).&

( 0r ) )...

*1,

7u%stituting the corresponding values, 89 1 yields hc 1)&.#"W+m#.6 'roplet surface area: : ;'# 1..#. x 1)3& m# Temperature difference %etween drying air and droplet:

<T !".! = #$.# >atent heat of water:

#1.# oC

? #!1$.!! 4@+4g

The evaporation rate of this droplet is calculated from

Nc = hcA( T )

*#,

i.e.: Ac B*1)&.#", C *1..#. x1)3&, C *#1.#,D + *#!1$.!!, 1.## x 1)3& g+s From the graph in Figure 1, the evaporation rate is o%tained as 1.#" 1) & g+s Thus, the error %y computation is B*1.#" x1)3&3 1.## x 1)3&,+ 1.#" x1)3&D x 1))E !.$E, which is negligi%le. -n fact the error in estimation of h using empirical correlations can exceed 1)E

Solution: (Method-2: Based on mass transfer/diffusion equation) For mass transfer from a spherical droplet su%Fected to a relative velocity of a drying medium, we have the 7herwood num%er correlation as follows:
Sh = kc D a 1 + . Dv a 1 + # 1+ # = #.) + ).( Sc 1 + . Ge p = #.) + ).(* , * , Dg a Dg a

From property ta%les, 0r 1a 5a ).$)#$ 12.!( x 1)3( 4g+ms 1.)2"4g+m.

The diffusion coefficient for vapor in air at &)oC is #.21 1) & m # + s

kc = =

Dg D

B #.) + ).(*

a 1 + . Dva 1 + # , * , D a D g a

#.21 1) & 12.!( 1) ( ).))#)&# 1.) 1.)2" 1 + # B#.) + ).( * ,1 + . * , = ).)$$(*m + s , & ).))#)&# 1.)2" #.21 1) 12.!( 1) (

Hased on the initial dry3%ul% and wet3%ul% temperatures of air, the humidity is found from the psychrometric chart as ).)1. 4gI#J+4g dryair. Then, the vapor concentration at the droplet surface * C s ,*4mol+m.,K vapor concentration in the %ul4 gas * C g , *4mol+m.,. They are defined as
Cs = p sat *T p , RT p
pop RTg

.()) = 1.!!. 1) . * mol + m . , ".1! .))

).)1. + 1" 1)1.#& = $.$" 1) ! *mol + m . , 1.) + #2 + ).)1. + 1" ".1! .#1.!

Cg = X i

Hased on the mass transfer e9uation, the mass transfer rate from the water droplet surface to the %ul4 air is calculated as
N c = k c A p M p *C s C g , = ).)$$( 1..#. 1) & 1" 1) . *1.!!. 1) . $.$" 1) ! , = 1.#. 1) & * g + s,

The drying time is then given %y

. D w ).))#)&# . 1.) 1) ( ( ( t= = = .$).(* s , Nc 1.## 1) &

The calculation error is then:

1.#" 1) & 1.#. 1) & 1.#" 1) & 1))E = ..2E

Discussion about the effects of the o erating arameters

(a) %ffect of air humidity :ssume the a%solute humidity is increased to ).)1( 4g I#J+4g dry air. Then,
Cg = X i pop RTg = ).)1( + 1" 1)1.#& = 2.&. 1) ! *mol + m . , 1.) + #2 + ).)1( + 1" ".1! .#1.!

Aow the evaporation rate %ecomes

N c = k c A p M p *C s C g , = ).)$$( 1..#. 1) & 1" 1) . *1.!!. 1) . 2.&. 1) ! , = 2.)( 1) ( * g + s ,

and the drying time %ecomes:

. D w ).))#)&# . 1.) 1) ( t= ( = ( = !22* s , Nc 2.)( 1) (

The reduced percentage of the evaporation rate is due to the increase of humidity in air is computed %y
=
1.#. 1) & 2.)( 1) ( 1))E = #(..E 1.#. 1) &

The increase of drying time is *!223.$),

1#2*s,. Geduction in mass transfer

driving potential is responsi%le for this reduction. (b) %ffect of the operating pressure :ssume the operating pressure is only half of the normal am%ient atmospheric pressure, i.e., &)((.0a. Therefore,
Cg = X i pop RTg = ).)1. + 1" &)((. = .."2 1) ! *mol + m . , 1.) + #2 + ).)1. + 1" ".1! .#1.!

Then the evaporation rate %ecomes

N c = k c A p M p *C s C g , = ).)$$( 1..#. 1) & 1" 1) . *1.!!. 1) . .."2 1) ! , = 1.2& 1) ( * g + s ,

The drying time %ecomes:

. D w ).))#)&# . 1.) 1) ( ( ( t= = = #.#* s , Nc 1.2& 1) &

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to the decrease of the operating pressure in air is computed %y

1.#. 1) & 1.2& 1) & 1.#. 1) &

1))E = &".&E

The decrease of drying time is *.$)3#.#, (c) %ffect of the air velocity

1."*s,

:ssume the air velocity is increased to &.)m+s. Then,

kc = = Dg D B #.) + ).(*

a 1 + . Dva 1 + # , * , D a D g a

#.21 1) & 12.!( 1) ( ).))#)&# &.) 1.)2" 1 + # B#.) + ).( * ,1 + . * , = ).#)12*m + s , & ).))#)&# 1.)2" #.21 1) 12.!( 1) (

The evaporation rate now %ecomes

N c = k c A p M p *C s C g , = ).#)12 1..#. 1) & 1" 1) . *1.!!. 1) . $.$" 1) ! , = ..#) 1) & * g + s ,

The drying time therefore is:

. D w ).))#)&# . 1.) 1) ( ( ( t= = = 1!1* s , Nc ..#) 1) &

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to increase of air velocity is computed from:
=
1.#. 1) & ..# 1) & 1.#. 1) & 1))E = 1()E

The decrease of drying time is *.$)31!1, s i.e. ##2*s,

(d) %ffect of the air temperature :ssume the air temperature is increased to $1."&oC. From the corresponding ta%les, the following parameter values for air can %e o%tained 0r 1a 5a ).(2" #).&# x 1)3( 4g+ms 1.)#.4g+m.

'g

..#!x1)3&m+s

Then the mass transfer coefficient is calculated %y

kc = = Dg D B #.) + ).(*

a 1 + . Dva 1 + # , * , D a D g a

..#! 1) & #).&# 1) ( ).))#)&# 1.) 1.)#. 1 + # B #.) + ).( * ,1 + . * , = ).11.* m + s , & ).))#)&# 1.)#. ..#! 1) #).&# 1) (

Then the evaporation rate %ecomes

N c = k c A p M p *C s C g , = ).11. 1..#. 1) & 1" 1) . *1.!!. 1) . $.$" 1) ! , = 1.$2 1) & * g + s ,

The drying time %ecomes:

. D w ).))#)&# . 1.) 1) ( t= ( = ( = #&#* s , Nc 1.$2 1) &

The increased percentage of the evaporation rate due to the increase of air temperature is computed %y
=
1.#. 1) & 1.$2 1) & 1.#. 1) & 1))E = !&.&E

The decrease of drying time is *.$)3#&#, 11"*s, From the a%ove computation, we can conclude that: *1, When the air humidity is increased, the evaporation rate is decreased. *#, When the air operating pressure is decreased, the evaporation rate is increased and vice versa. *., When the relative velocity %etween air and droplet is increased, the evaporation rate is increased, as well. *!, When the air temperature is increased, the evaporation rate is increased. *&, :mong the four affecting factors, we can see that the air temperature and relative velocity %etween air and droplet play a significant role on the drying performance. Iowever, in real condition, the relative velocity %etween air and droplet is not easy to control. -f the droplet is smaller as those found in spray dryers, the particle evaporation rates are always controlled %y the drying

medium due to its small diameter. From this point, we show %y example why the air temperature is always very important in spray dryer not only %ecause it is easy to control %ut also %ecause it affects the drying performance significantly.
-f drying %elow the critical moisture content i.e. in the internally controlled falling rate period, one must have the FG0 data or effective diffusivity value *also o%tained experimentally from drying 4inetics,. 7ince the evaporation rates are necessarily small, measurement errors in L vs time data are large. To o%tain the drying rate one must differentiate the L vs t data , which is an error3amplification process. 7uch data always have large scatter. -n general, care must %e exercised when converting L vs t data into drying 4inetics. -t is often %etter to smooth such data numerically and then differentiate it. -t can %e done, for example, %y fitting a polynomial and the differentiating it. Aote that the onset of falling rate can also %e detected %y a sudden rise in surface temperature under constant drying conditions. -n a spray dryer the drying conditions seen %y the droplet vary along its traFectory. This, it is difficult to determine the precise critical moisture content. :lso complications arise due to crystalliMation, puffing, shrin4age, %rea43up and+or agglomeration as the droplets+particles travel within the drying cham%er. The model given a%ove in simplistic and for illustrative purposes. : 7 /N@N/':G and >ixin Iuang, #))&