Question

Rate of mass transfer is inversely proportional to the rate of reaction at solid surface?

(a) True

(b) False

The question was asked in an interview.

My question comes from Convective Mass Transfer in division Mass Transfer of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

The correct answer is (b) False

To explain I would say: Estimation of the interfacial concentration CAi is more difficult; measuring compositions at phase boundaries is not easy experimentally. To overcome this problem, we must consider the processes in the system which are linked to mass transfer of A. Transport of A is linked to reaction at the surface of the solid, so that the value of CAi will depend on the rate of consumption of A at the interface. In practical terms, we can therefore calculate the rate of mass transfer of A only if we have information about the rate of reaction at the solid surface. Simultaneous reaction and mass transfer occurs in many bioprocesses.