Knudsen diffusion - The effect of small pore size and low gas pressure on gaseous transport in soil

The analytical principles and applications of the theory of Knudsen diffusion are reviewed, with emphasis on gas transport in the soils of planetary bodies. Knudsen diffusion occurs when the mean free path of diffusing gas molecules surpasses the size of the pores through which diffusion proceeds. The process is then dominated by collisions with the pore walls. Computational techniques for deriving the Knudsen coefficient for soils with a nonreentrant cross-section shape are reviewed, along with methods of deriving a coefficient for soils which permit both Knudsen and bulk diffusion. Sample calculations for three pore-size distributions are provided to illustrate the decrease in transport efficiency with increasingly smaller soil pore sizes.