Second Examination: March 9, 2005; 12:55 PM 1:45 PM

Total 100 points

For the multiple choice questions, justify your answer with as quantitative a reasoning as
possible
1. An endothermic reaction is taking place in a CSTR. The steady state temperature in the
reactor is 270C. The reactor is surrounded by a steam jacket, where the saturation pressure of
steam is 11.5 psia. The heat transfer coefficient between the jacket and the reactor is
Btu
225
with a heat transfer area of 15 ft2. At steady state, what is rate of heat transfer
2 0
h-ft F
from/to the jacket to/from the reactor in kJ/hour?
(Additional information: The saturation temperature of steam at the given pressure is 2000F).
Heat Transfer = U.A.(Ts T)= 225 15 (200 80.6) 402,975 Btu/hr=425,163 kJ/h

10 points

2. For the reaction conditions shown below, if the heat of reaction increases from -50 kJ/mole to
-80 kJ/mole,
kJ
Irreversible, exothermic reaction H Rx 50
mol
UA 0
T0 300 K
a. The slope of the XEB versus T line increases
b. The slope of the XEB versus T line decreases
c. The slope of the XEB versus T line is unchanged
10 points
Answer is b. As the heat of reaction increases, you will have higher temperature for every
conversion.
3. The following reaction is taking place in a PFR.
Elementary, reversible, endothermic reaction H Rx 100
UA 100

T0 400 K

kJ
mol

Ta 450 K

An engineer, Mr. Reck Less contends that the reactor must be run at as high a
temperature as possible to obtain the highest possible conversion. His colleague, Mr. Lim
It says that a conversion limit will be reached and multiple reactors with interstage
cooling will be required to achieve high conversion. Who is right and why?
10 points
Mr. Reck Less is right. For endothermic reactions, there is no limit on conversion since Xe
increases with T.

4. For the given reaction conditions, as UA increases, the XEB versus T line
kJ
Irreversible, endothermic reaction H Rx 100
mol
UA 0
T0 300 K Ta 330 K
a.
b.
c.
d.

Does not change

Increases in slope and shifts to the right
Shifts to the left
Decreases in slope
10 points

Answer is b. The slope increases and the line shifts to the right.
5. The following reaction is taking place in a CSTR. In order to ensure a high-conversion
steady state, the engineer in charge should:
a. Increase the feed temperature.
b. Increase UA.
c. Decrease the feed temperature.
Justify your answer with a qualitative plot.
10 points
kJ
Irreversible, exothermic reaction H Rx 75
mol
UA 0
T0 300 K Ta 320 K

The answer is a. At higher feed temperature, the line intersects only the higher part of the
G(T) curve.

B
is taking place in a PFR. Pure A enters the reactor at a
2
pressure of 4 atmospheres and 350 K. The heat of reaction which can be assumed to be
independent of temperature is -27 kJ/mol of A. The rate constant at 350 K is 0.2 s-1 and the
activation energy is 18 kJ/mol. The volumetric flow rate is 10 liters/s. When the conversion
of A is plotted versus the reactor volume, the following plot is obtained. Determine the
temperature and concentration of A in the reactor at the mid-point (V=50) and at the exit of
the reactor (V=100).
20points

6. The gas-phase reaction A

T T0

H Rx gX
C pA

V 50, X 0.25, T 350 27, 000 0.25 / 30 575 K

V 100, X 0.95, T 350 27, 000 0.95 / 30 1205 K
P
4
mol
C A0 0
0.1394
RT0 0.082 350
lit
C A C A0

(1 X ) T0
(1 X ) T

0.1394 (1 0.25) 350

mol
0.073
(1 0.5 0.25) 575
lit
0.1394 (1 0.95) 350
mol
V 100, X 0.95, T 1205 K, C A
0.00386
(1 0.5 0.95) 1205
lit
V 50, X 0.25, T 575 K, C A

7. The following second-order liquid-phase reaction is taking place in a CSTR.

A B C D

A and B are fed to the reactor at rates of 4 mol/min and 2 mol/min respectively at a
temperature of 300 K. The total volumetric flow rate is 10 liters/min. Specific heats (in
J/mol-K) of A, B, C and D are 125, 100, 130 and 135 respectively. The reactor is jacketed
by water at a temperature of 400C. The overall heat transfer coefficient has been estimated
3

at 200 J/(m2.s.K), while the heat transfer area is 0.5 m2. Mixing is ensured through an
agitator, which contributes a work of 20 KW to the reactor. The heats of formation of A, B,
C and D (at 298 K) are -45 kJ/mol, -30 kJ/mol, -50 kJ/mol and -60 kJ/mol respectively. The
lit
rate constant at 300 K is 0.1
and the activation energy is 30,000 J/mol. Find the
mol-min
steady-state temperature in the reactor for 90% consumption of the limiting reactant. Find
the volume of the reactor to achieve this conversion.
30 points
Use equation 8-50 from the text
Q& W&
X H Rx = iC%pi (T Ti 0 )
FA 0
(U A (Ta T )
W&)
X H Rx (TR ) C p (T TR ) = iC%pi (T Ti 0 )
FA 0

&
FA0 X H Rx (TR ) C p TR FA0 ( AC%pA B C%
pB )T0 UATa W
%

FA0 ( AC%
pA B C pB ) UA FA 0 X C p

J
mol K
H Rx (298 K ) 60 50 45 30 35 kJ / mol
C p 135 130 125 100 40
A is B and B is A
A : FA0 2 mol / min, C pA 100
A : FB 0 4 mol / min, C pB 125
T

2 0.9 35000 40 298 2(1 100

2 125)300

200
0.5 313
373.6 K
2(1 100 2 125)

200 0.5
2 0.9
40

30000 1
1
lit
k (396.5) 0.1exp

1.0692
mol min
8.314 300 373.6
CSTR Mole Balance
F X
F X
FA0 X
FA0 X
2 0.9
V A0 A 0

2
2
rA
kC ACB kC A0 (1 X )C A 0 ( B X ) kC A0 (1 X )( B X ) 1.0692 0.2 (1 0.9)(2 0.9)
382 liters