Determination of interfacial mass and energy transfer rates for multicomponent vapour-liquid systems

This paper presents a local analysis of simultaneous mass and energy transfer processes in vapour-liquid systems, with n̲ components in either phase. Using a simple one-dimensional interphase transport model, a general procedure for determining the interfacial state, given information on the parameters in the bulk fluid phases, is obtained. The calculation of the interfacial 'total' mass and energy transport rates from knowledge of the 'diffusive' fluxes is discussed and the final results presented in compact matrix notation. Two specific examples of condensation of mixed vapours and multicomponent distillation are examined in light of the general analysis and the validity of some classical assumptions questioned