Entropy generation in combined heat and mass transfer

Abstract

Irreversible entropy generation for combined forced convection heat and mass transfer in a twodimensional channel is investigated. The heat and mass transfer rates are assumed to be constant on both channel walls. For the case of laminar flow, the entropy generation is obtained as a function of velocity, temperature, concentration gradients and the physical properties of the fluid. The analogy between heat and mass transfer is used to obtain the concentration profile for the diffusing species. The optimum plate spacing is determined, considering that either the mass flow rate or the channel length are fixed. For the turbulent flow regime, a control volume approach that uses heat and mass transfer correlations is developed to obtain the entropy generation and optimum plate spacing.