Comparison of numerical and analytical solutions of a multicomponent reaction-mass-transfer problem in terms of the film model

In this paper, a film-model-based description of multicomponent reactive se paration is considered and two different approaches to the solution of the reaction-mass transfer problem in the liquid film are studied and compared. The first approach is based on a numerical treatment of the resulting nonl inear boundary value problem. The second approach requires a simplification of the differential transport equation by linearizing its reaction source term, and further, takes advantage of an analytical technique. To realize n umerical solution of a complex matrix-form boundary value problem, a specia l method has been developed and tested. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses which are analyzed and discussed. For different systems and proc ess conditions, a comparison of simulation results obtained by both methods is carried out. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.