Transport Processes: Mass Transfer in Chemical Engineering

Transport processes govern how matter, energy, and momentum move through physical systems. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for designing chemical reactors, separation columns, and everyday consumer products. This text-only course guides you through the fundamental principles of mass transfer and diffusion. You will transition from learning basic molecular transport definitions to calculating complex gas-liquid mass transfer rates, such as estimating carbon dioxide loss from liquids. What you'll learn: - Understand the fundamental laws of molecular diffusion and convective mass transfer - Calculate mass transfer coefficients and apply Fick's laws to steady-state systems - Analyze gas-liquid transport phenomena using boundary layer theory and film theory - Estimate rates of gas loss and absorption in real-world scenarios, such as carbonated liquids - Apply dimensionless groups to scale transport processes from laboratory to industrial levels - Explore modern computational approaches to modeling transport phenomena The course begins with core definitions of concentration, flux, and driving forces before moving into transport mechanisms. You will then progress through practical calculation frameworks, applying your knowledge to real-world mass transfer problems through guided written exercises. Designed for aspiring chemical engineers, chemistry students, and curious learners, this course requires only basic algebra and introductory chemistry. Start reading today to master the core principles of chemical transport phenomena.