The problem of unsteady mass transfer from a sphere that impulsively moves from rest to a finite velocity in a non-uniform concentration distribution is studied. A range of low Reynolds numbers (Re<1) and moderate Peclet numbers (Pe ranges from 5.6 to 300) is investigated (typical of the parameters encountered in anchorage dependent cell cultures in micro gravity). Using time scales, the effects of flow field development, concentration boundary layer development and free stream concentration variation are investigated. For the range of parameters considered, the development of the flow field has a negligible effect on the time variation of the Sherwood number (Sh). The Sh time dependence is dominated by concentration boundary layer development for early times and free stream concentration variations at later times.

Issue Section:
Heat and Mass Transfer
Keywords:
two-phase flow, mass transfer, boundary layers, flow instability, Forced Convection, Mass Transfer, Microgravity, Spheres, Unsteady
Topics:
Boundary layers, Boundary-value problems, Diffusion (Physics), Flow (Dynamics), Mass transfer, Reynolds number, Fluids, Steady state, Scalars
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 by ASME
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