A volume-of-fluid methodology for interfacial mass transfer

Abstract

This study developed a novel interfacial mass transfer model for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capable of handling a concentration jump of multiple orders of magnitude across the interface between two fluids. The interfacial mass transfer model uses a volume of fluid methodology. After establishing the mathematical foundation of the model, termed the Mass Fraction – Continuous Species Transfer (MF-CST) model, validation on a two-dimensional system was performed. Two different chemical systems were used: one system having the mass transfer resistance in only one phase and the other system having mass transfer resistance in both phases. For both validation cases, the MF-CST predictions agreed with the analytical solution to within 1 percent. A framework was also provided for combining a Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approach with the MF-CST model. To demonstrate the use of the RANS and MF-CST models simultaneously, simulations were performed on a structured packing system.