Moisture transfer in capillary porous materials: driving forces and transport coefficients

Abstract

Heat, mass and volume transfer phenomena between systems are revisited based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics theory. Among other results, the difference between the diffusive transport and flow transport is precisely stated, and the nature of the moist transport analyzed. Determination of the transport coefficients for moisture flow has been a long-standing problem. In this chapter an approach is also presented which describes the transport coefficients when the moisture flow is driven by a capillary pressure gradient.