UniversityofBahrain

CollegeofEngineering
ChemicalEngineeringDepartment

ChemicalReactorDesign
(CHENG323)
SemesterII 2010/2011

Exam II
Sunday10/07/2011
Duration: 100 min

StudentName:

StudentID#:

Answerallthequestionsandshowyoursolutioninfulldetails.

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Question1: (40%)
Ethyleneoxideistobesynthesizedbythevaporphasecatalyticoxidationofethylenewith
air.EthyleneandairarefedinstoichiometricproportionstoaPBRoperatedisothermallyat
260oC.

Ethyleneisfedatarateof1.2Ibmol/hatatotalfeedpressureof10atm.Itisproposedto
use a1in.diameterschedule40tube(crosssectionalarea, Ac =0.01414ft2)packedwith
catalyst. The density of the in. catalyst particles (Dp = 0.0208 ft) is 120 Ibm/ft3 and the
bed void fractionis 0.45.Thepressureparameter is calculated tobe0.0166 lbm-1. The
. . o
ratelawis - rA' = k PA1/3 PB2/3 lbmol/(lb mcat
withk
h) =0.0141lbmol/lb mcathatmat260 C.

a) Calculatethecatalystweightnecessarytoachieve60%conversion.
b) Calculatethepressuredroppercentageattheexitofthereactor.
c) Plottheconversionprofileinthereactor.
d) Ifpressuredropisneglected,calculatethecatalystweightwhich wouldbethought
necessary toachieve60%conversion.
e) If the catalyst weight calculated in part d (where pressure drop is thought to be
negligible) is used in the actual reactor (where pressure drop takes place),
calculatedtheactualachievableconversion.

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Question2: (30%)
Theproductionofethyleneglycolfromethylenechlorohydrinandsodiumbicarbonate

iscarriedoutinasemibatchreactor.A1.5molarsolutionofethylene chlorohydrinisfedat
a rate of 30 mole/min to 1500 litersof a 0.75 molar solutionof sodium bicarbonate.The
reactioniselementaryandcarriedoutisothermallyat 30oCwherethespecificreactionrate
.
is 5.1 L/molh. The reactor can hold a maximumof 2500 liters of liquid.Assume constant
density. Aconversionof96%ofsodiumbicarbonateisdesired.
(a)Performmolebalancesonthereactants.
(b)Calculatethetimerequiredtoachievethedesiredconversion.
(c) Plot the concentration of reactants, the reaction rate, and the conversion as a
functionoftime. (Fig.1: C A&CB vs. t,Fig.2:Xvst;Fig. 3: -rB vs. t)
(d)Is it better to wait until the desired conversion is achieved or do you think that
stoppingthereactionearliermightbebetter?Explainyouranswer(noquantitative
answerisrequired).

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Question 3: (30%)
The following reversible, elementary, liquid phase reaction occurs in an adiabatic CSTR
maintainedunderhighpressure: nC4H10iC4H10
Calculatethereactorvolumenecessarytoprocess163kmol/hofamixtureof90mol%n
butane&10mol%ipentane,whichisconsideredaninert,andtoachieve40%conversion.
Also calculate how close the conversion is, on percentage basis, from the equilibrium
conversion at the reactor temperature. The feed enters at 330 K and has a reactant
concentration(CA0)of9.3kmol/m3.
Additionalinformation:
Hrxn = -6,900J/molbutane; CPnB = CPiB =141J/mol.K; CPiP =161J/mol.K; Alsosee the
figure onthefollowingpage.

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 EquilibriumConstant&RateConstant(h- 1)
10 10
9 8
8 6
7 4

ln k
6 2
KC

5 KC 0
4 lnk 2
3 4
2 6
1 8
0 10
250 300 350 400 450

T (K)

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