A Unified Conjugate Mass Transfer Model of VOC Emission

This paper develops a unified conjugate mass transfer model for VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emission, which implies conjugate boundary condition for mass transfer at the material-air interface. Thus, no special treatment is needed at the material-air interface and numerical methods for conjugate heat transfer problem can be applied directly. The material-air partition coefficient has been taken into account and its effect is the same as specific heat in the energy equation. The equivalent diffusion coefficient in the material K_maD_m instead of D_m characterizes the rate of mass transfer. The ratio K_maD_m/D_a indicates whether VOC emission is controlled by the internal diffusion or not. The equivalent air-phase initial concentration C₀/K_ma determines the order of maximum concentration in the air. VOC emission contains two stages: the initial stage and the pseudo-steady stage when the emission rate nearly equals mass rate through the outlet of the air. Diffusion coefficient of VOC in the material has a significant effect on VOC emission in the two stages. The effect of partition coefficient on VOC emission depends on the value of K_maD_m/D_a.