ChE372:Fall 2014

Homework 3
1. The reaction between ammonia and formaldehyde to give hexamine is
4 NH
3
+ 6 HCHO (CH
2
)
6
N
4
+ 6 H
2
O r = 1.42 10
3
exp
(
3090
T
)
C
2
A
C
B
mol A/L.s
where A is ammonia and B is formaldehyde.
A 0.5 L CSTR is used for the reaction. Each reactant is fed to the reactor in separate stream, at
the rate of 1.5 10
3
L/s each. The ammonia concentration is 4 mol/L and the formaldehyde
is 6.4 mol/L. The reactor temperature is 36
0
C. Calculate the concentration of ammonia and
formaldehyde in the euent stream.
2. The liquid phase reaction
A + B

C + D r = k
1
C
A
C
B
k
2
C
C
C
D
was tested in a laboratory CSTR with these results.
Residence time (hrs) 0.8 5.0
% conversion of A 50 60
Feed concentrations were c
A0
= 2 mol/L, c
B0
= 1.5 mol/L and the others zero.
(a) Find the reaction rate constants k
1
and k
2
. (Ans: k
1
= 3.25; k
2
= 0.375)
(b) Find the time for 90% of equilibrium conversion in a batch reactor. (Ans: 2 h)
3. Consider the gas-phase reaction
A B + C r = kc
A
in an isothermal plug ow reactor. The pressure is kept constant in the reactor. The feed consists
of A and an inert. The reactor is to be operated to give a conversion x
A
= 0.9. Study the eect
of inert on the reactor volume:
Case I: The feed consist of 3 moles of A and one mole of inert.
Case II: The feed consist of 4 moles of A and one mole of inert.
By how much will the reactor volume change if the inlet is changed from case I to Case II?
1
4. Consider a homogeneous gas phase reaction
A 3B r = kc
2
A
For a feed rate of 4 m
3
/hr of pure A at 5 atm and 350
0
C, a pilot reactor consisting of a 2.5 cm
ID pipe 2 m long gave 60% conversion of feed. A commercial plant is process 320 m
3
/hr of feed
consisting of 50% each of A and inerts at 25 atm and 350
0
C, and 80% conversion is required.
Find how many 2 meter lengths of 2.5 cm ID pipe are needed. Should they be placed in series or
parallel?
5. Consider a system of two CSTRs in series. The feed enters at a volumetric ow rate of 100 cfh
and the feed is pure A with inlet concentration 1.5 lbmols/cuft. The euent from the second
stage continues to react in the pipe line going to the storage unit. This line has 0.864 sq in cross
section and is 1000 feet long. The reaction is
2A

B + C r = 5
(
C
2
A

C
B
C
C
16
)
lbmol/cuft-hr
It is required to have 80% approach to equilibrium at the storage tank. What is the volume of
the CSTR if the residence time are the same in both CSTRs.
CSTR - I
CSTR - II
C
A
2
C
A
3
C
A
0
C
A
1
Transfer Line (L = 1000 ft A = 0.864 in
2
)
2
6. Consider the reversible, liquid-phase reaction
A

B r = k
(
C
A

C
B
K
)
The equilibrium constant based on concentration for this reaction is 2 at temperature T
1
.
An ideal CSTR with volume of 1000 l is being operated at T
1
. The molar ow rate of A to the
CSTR is 1500 mol/min. The Concentration of A in the feed is 2.5 mol/l; there is no B in the
feed.
(a) What is the lowest possible outlet concentration of A that can be obtained at T
1
.
(b) The actual concentration of A leaving the CSTR is 1.5 mol/L. What is the value of the
forward rate constant k at T
1
?
(c) A second CSTR with volume of 1000 l is added in series with the rst. The molar ow rate
of A to the rst reactor is increased so that the concentration of A leaving the second CSTR
is 1.5 mol/l. The feed composition is unchanged. What is the new ow rate of A to the rst
reactor?
3