SYLLABUS – Spring 2005
Environmental Transport Phenomena – ENVE 310/CE 389

Downloable version available. click here

Purpose: The course provides theoretical and practical basis for understanding and quantifying mass, momentum and energy transport motivated by examples and applications relevant to environmental engineering problems. Both molecular and macroscopic principles will be discussed highlighting unifying principles underlying transport processes and properties. Students will develop proficiency in problem formulation, making simplifying assumptions, and using a range of analytical and numerical solution methods. Coupled transport processes will be explored primarily through the self-study as part of class project requirements.

Instructor: Dr. Dani Or – (CAST 313, 486-2768) dani@engr.uconn.edu
TA – Mr. Tao Long (CAST 101, 486-0467) tal03005@engr.uconn.edu

Alternate Inst.: Dr. Ross Bagtzoglou – (CAST 327, 486-4017) acb@engr.uconn.edu

Time/Location: Fall 2004 – T Th 3:00-4:30 pm @ CAST 206

Office Hours: T Th 2:00-3:00

Textbook: Transport Phenomena (Bird, Stewart and Lightfoot) 2nd Edition

Additional materials will be posted on course webpage:
http://www.engr.uconn.edu/environ/envphys/courses/transport/en_transport.htm

Supplemental textbook: TBD
Grades:
C 30% on homework problems
C 20% on each of two exams
C 30% project (10% class presentation; 20% report)
C Scale - A>90%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F<60%
C Homework due one week after assignment

SCHEDULE AND COURSE CONTENT

Week 1 to 3: Introduction to Transport Processes and Mass Transport

o Basic Mass, Momentum and Energy transport processes; micro and macroscopic views;
phenomenological laws; driving forces (gradient); transport coefficients.
o Definition of fluxes; conservation principles (divergence); differential elementary volumes
and coordinate systems; boundary conditions; dimensionless numbers.
o Molecular mass transport – Fick’s law of binary diffusion (BSL – Ch. 16); binary gaseous
diffusion coefficient – kinetic theory (molecular dynamics); diffusion in liquids and solids.
o Effective transport properties (diffusion in suspensions and through pack of spheres).
o Steady and transient diffusion processes in 1-D and higher dimensions – examples and
application to transport problems. (diffusion through stagnant film; diffusion from a point
source; spherical dissolution; diffusion with 1st order reaction; transient diffusion into
infinite medium; and more…)
o Selection of class project topic and submission of 1 page proposal

Week 4 to 6: Momentum Transport and Viscous Flows (BSL Ch. 1-2)

o Newton’s law of viscosity; molecular theory of viscosity of dilute gases and liquids;
Couette and falling film flow; momentum as a flux and as a force – viscous stress tensor;
o Shell momentum balance and laminar flows – principles; Poiseuille flow; flow in an
annulus; creeping flow around a sphere.
o Continuity and equations of change, Navier-Stokes equations.
o Macroscopic balances for momentum transport (BSL Ch. 7)
o Turbulent flows, Reynolds experiment, drag forces; turbulence and eddy flow (similarities
with molecular transport) and atmospheric fluxes (eddy covariance method).
o Submission of class project progress report (1st draft)
Midterm Exam

Week 7 to 9: Energy Transport – Heat, Radiation, Phase Change (Ch. 9 -12)

o Fourier’s law of heat conduction; thermal conductivity - molecular and effective; heat flow
in one and multi-dimensional geometries; steady state and transient analytical solutions to
heat conduction; heat flow and convection; nonlinear cooling, macroscopic energy balance.
o Radiative energy transport (BSL Ch. 16) – Stefan-Boltzmann law; black body exchange,
principles and examples ; radiation through the atmosphere and greenhouse effect.
o Phase change and couple heat and mass transport (falling film, evaporating water drop)
o Submission of class project report and scheduling presentation for weeks 10-13

Week 10 to 13: Coupled Transport Processes

o Electrical transport processes: Ohm’s law; ion mobility and transport of charge particlesl
transport across membranes and electro-osmosis; colloidal transport
o Coupling mass transport and rate processes - diffusion and nutrient consumption by
microbial colony growing on a solid surface.
o Dispersion from a smoke stack into the atmosphere – diffusion, convection, atmospheric
stability and turbulence considerations.
o Fuel cells – synchronizing transport processes for maximum efficiency.
Note: due to professional commitments the instructor will be out of town during:
o October, 5th and 7th.
o October 28th to Nov. 4th
o Classes will be offered by Prof. Bagtzoglou - M-W 2-3:30 the same week, additionally, Mr. Long will offer an introduction to Matlab programming (October 7th) Class Project for Environmental Transport Phenomena

Project Objectives

1. To provide opportunities for guided self-studies into coupled transport processes beyond topics
covered in the classroom.
2. To enable students to explore processes and transport problems of interest.
3. To reinforce and implement skills and proficiencies learned in this course towards solving
“realistic” problems
Topics and timeline
1. Students will select a topic from the attached list (also posted on the course webpage) designed to
expand knowledge beyond topics covered in class.
2. One page proposal submitted by 3nd week (this requires exploration and consultations with
instructor or major advisor).
3. Project report by week 10 and scheduling of presentation for class during weeks 10-13.

Project Presentation – PowerPoint presentation 20-30 min (including discussion and questions)

Project Report - concise (6-8 pages) based on following format:

1. Title
2. Introduction - a brief discussion of the topic, problem formulation and objectives.
3. Theoretical basis – governing equations and key parameters.
4. Proposed design or solution including key results - .
5. Discussion - discuss assumptions, limitations, significance, broader applications;
   integrate transport and engineering challenges.
6. Literature Cited - list in alphabetical order literature cited.