Mass balance for diffusion and analogy to heat conduction

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around applying heat transfer principles to mass transfer problems. The user derives equations for mass transfer similar to those used in heat transfer, starting from a general mass balance and progressing to a steady-state equation. They express the mass transfer equation as a function of density and diffusion coefficient, ultimately leading to a form suitable for integration. The user seeks guidance on appropriate boundary conditions for their derived equations. The conversation highlights the challenges in transitioning concepts from heat to mass transfer and the need for clear derivations in textbooks.
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Hello,
I just began learning mass transfer, and I am trying to use analogies from heat transfer to help me solve problems. For example, if you have one dimensional heat transfer through a plane wall, I would start with a general energy balance.

$$\frac {dE}{dt} = \dot Q_{x} - \dot Q_{x + \Delta x} + \dot e_{gen}A \Delta x$$
$$ \rho A \Delta x \hat c_{p} \frac {dT}{dt} = \dot Q_{x} - \dot Q_{x + \Delta x} + \dot e_{gen}A \Delta x$$
dividing through and taking the limit as x approaches 0,
$$\rho \hat c_{p} \frac {dT}{dt} = - \frac {1}{A} \frac {d \dot Q}{dx} + \dot e_{gen}$$

Then using Fourier's law ##\dot Q = -kA \frac {dT}{dx}## I substitute and get
$$ \rho \hat c_{p} \frac {dT}{dt} = \frac {d}{dx} (k \frac {dT}{dx}) + \dot e_{gen}$$

Now I want to extend this to mass transfer, and I find my textbook to be sorely lacking in even properly showing a derivation from the beginning, so I try myself
$$ \frac {dm}{dt} = \dot m_{x} - \dot m_{x + \Delta x} + \dot m_{gen} A \Delta x$$
$$ A \Delta x \frac {d \rho}{dt} = \dot m_{x} - \dot m_{x + \Delta x} + \dot m_{gen} A \Delta x$$
Diving through and the limit as delta x approaches 0
$$ \frac {d \rho}{dt} = - \frac {1}{A} \frac {d}{dx} (-D_{AB}A \frac {d \rho}{dx}) + \dot m_{gen} $$
Now I can remove the generation term to get
$$ \frac {d \rho}{dt} = \frac {d}{dx} (D_{AB} \frac {d \rho}{dx})$$
Assume steady state, so then I integrate once
$$ D_{AB} \frac {d \rho}{dx} = C_{1} $$
$$ D_{AB} \rho = C_{1}x + C_{2} $$
Now what boundary conditions are appropriate to use?
 
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ρ=ρ(0) at x = 0
ρ=ρ(L) at x = L
 
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