What is Diffusion Coefficient

The aim of this chapter is to confirm the possibility of using the simple diffusion model to predict the behavior of a building material during the application of drying process under variable operating conditions. This approach can be considered as a simulation of the effect of the variable climatic conditions on the building material. During this research, the thermo-physical properties of the tested material as well as the drying air are considered as variable and changing with the operating conditions. Accordingly, diffusion coefficient is determined experimentally and is considered as variable with the temperature and the humidity and represented as function of the wet bulb temperature. Two sorts of conditions are tested: constant flux and convective flux. Furthermore, two types of changes are also tested: sudden changes and progressive changes of the drying conditions. The results of the study are mainly represented by the drying curves or the drying kinetics.