Assignment (MTO-I)

Diffusion
1. Oxygen (A) is diffusing through carbon monoxide (B) under steady state condition with
the carbon monoxide nondiffusing. The total pressure is 1 x 105 N/m2, and the
temperature 0oC. The partial pressure of oxygen at two planes 2 mm apart is, respectively
13000 and 6500 N/m2. The diffusivity for the mixture is 1.87 x 10-5m2 /s. Calculate the
rate of diffusion of oxygen in kmol /s through each square meter of the two planes.
2. The diffusivity of carbon tetrachloride through oxygen was determined at a steady state.
The cross section area for diffusion was 0.82 cm2 and was operated at 273K and 755
mmHg pressure. The average length of the diffusion path was 17.1cm. If 0.0208cc of
carbon tetrachloride was evaporated in 10 hours of steady state operation, what should be
the value of the diffusivity of carbon tetrachloride through oxygen?
3. In an oxygen-nitrogen mixture at 10 atmosphere and 25C, the concentrations of two
plates of 0.2 cm apart are 10 and 20 volume % respectively. Calculate the rate of
diffusion of O2 in gm/cm2 hr, through non diffusing N2. Given that DO2-N2 =0.181
cm2/sec. Take R=82.06 atm. cm3/gm.mole K
4. In an oxygen- Nitrogen mixture at 10 atmosphere and 250C, the concentrations of oxygen
at two places of 0.2 cm apart are 10 and 20 volume percent respectively. Calculate the
rate of diffusion of oxygen expressed as gm/cm2hr for the case of unicomponent diffusion
(nitrogen non-diffusing). Value of Diffusivity is 0.181 cm2/sec.
5. Ammonia is diffusing through a stagnant gas mixture consisting of 1/3 N2 and 2/3 H2 by
volume. The total pressure is 206.8 kN/m2 and temperature 540 C. Calculate the rate of
diffusion of ammonia through a film of gas 0.5 mm thick, when concentration change
across the film is 10 % to 5% by volume. The diffusivity of ammonia in gas mixture is
2.45 10-5 m 2 /s.
6. Hydrochloric acid (A) at 283 K diffuses through thin film water (B) 4 mm thick. The
concentration of A at location 1 on one boundary of the film is 12Wt % and on other
boundary, at location 2 is 4 Wt %. The diffusivity of HCl in water is 2.5 * 10-9 m2 / s.
Calculate the flux of diffusion of A assuming water to be stagnant. Density at location 1
= 1060.7 kg /m3 Density at location 2 = 1020.15 kg / m3.
7. Calculate the rate of diffusion of acetic acid (A) across a film of non-diffusing water (B)
solution 1 mm thick at 17 0C when the concentrations on opposite sides of the film are
respectively, 9 and 3 wt% acid. The diffusivity of acetic acid in the solution is 0.95 x 10-9
m 2 /sec. Take the density of 9% and 3% solution of acetic acid as 1012 kg/m3 and 1003.2
kg/m3 respectively.
Gas Absorption
1. An air ammonia mixture containing 5% ammonia by volume is absorbed in water in a
packed column operated at 293 K and 101.325 kPa so as to recover 98% ammonia. If the
inert gas mass velocity to column is 1200 kg / (m2 h). Calculate the mass velocity of
water to this column if column is operated at 1.25 times the minimum liquid rate to
column. Also calculate the composition of liquid leaving column corresponding to this
condition. The Equilibrium relationship to this condition is y = 1.154 x.
2. A packed tower is to be designed to absorb sulfur dioxide from air by scrubbing the gas
with water. The entering gas is 18.6% SO2 by volume. The water flow is to be 2.3 times
 the minimum. The air flow rate (SO2 free basis) is 1100 m3 /hr. The temperature is 30 0C
and the total pressure is 2 atm. The equilibrium data is governed by y=21.8x where y and
x are in mole fractions units. Compute the number of overall gas phase transfer units.
3. A packed tower is designed to recover 98% CO2 from a gas mixture containing 10% CO2
and 90% by volume air using water. The equilibrium relation used is y = 14x, where,
y= kg CO2/kg dry air and x = kg CO2/kg water. The water to gas rate is kept 30% more
than minimum value. Calculate actual mole ratio of water to solute free gas.
4. A coal gas is to be freed of its light oil by scrubbing with wash oil as an absorbent and the
light oil recovered by stripping the resulting solution with steam. The circumstances are
as follows: Absorber: Gas in, 0.250 m3/s at 26oC, pt = 1.07*105 N/m2, containing 2.0%
by volume of light oil vapors. The light oil will be assumed to be entirely benzene, and a
95% removal is required. The wash oil is to enter at 26oC, containing 0.005 mole fraction
benzene and has an average molecular weight 260. An oil circulation rate of 1.5 times the
minimum is to be used. Wash oil-benzene solutions are ideal. The temperature will be
constant at 26oC. At 26oC, the vapor pressure of benzene is p = 13330 N/m2. Compute the
oil circulation rate.
5. A packed tower is designed to recover 98% CO2 from a gas mixture containing 10% CO2
and 90% air using water. A relation y = 14x can be used for equilibrium conditions
where, y = kg CO2/ kg dry air and x =kg CO2/ kg water. The water to gas rate is kept 30%
more than the minimum value. Calculate the height of the tower if (HTU)OG is 1 meter.
6. CS2 is to be absorbed from a dilute gas mixture of CS2 N2 into a pure nonvolatile oil at
atm. pressure in a countercurrent absorber. The mole fraction of CS2 in inlet gas stream
is 0.05 and the flow rate of gas stream G, is 1500 k mole/hr. The equilibrium relation is
given by: y = 0.5x,where x is the mole fraction of CS2 in liquid stream. It is desired to
reduce the mole fraction of CS2 exit gas stream to 0.005. Calculate minimum value of
L/G, where L is liquid flow rate in k mole/hr.
7. A counter-current plate absorber is to be installed for scrubbing of an air mixture
containing 5 % ammonia by volume. The scrubber is fed with water containing 0.002
mole ammonia per mole of water. The scrubbing water flows at the rate of 1 mole water
per mole of air. It is required to absorb 85% of ammonia present in the gas operating
absorber at 20 C. The equilibrium relation is given as y = 0.80 x. Calculate 1)
concentration of ammonia in the outgoing liquid 2) number of stages necessary for this
operation.
8. 5000 kg/hr of a SO2-air mixture containing 5% by volume SO2 is to be scrubbed with
200,000 kg/hr of water in a packed tower. The exit concentration of SO2 is reduced to
0.15 %. The tower operates at 1atm.The equilibrium relationship is given by Y = 30 X
X, Y are mole ratio. If the height of transfer unit is 81 cm, what is the ht. of tower?
9. Gas from petroleum distillation column has its concentration of H2S reduced from 0.03
kmol H2S per kmol-inert hydrocarbon gas to 1% of this value by scrubbing with a
triethanol amine water solvent in a counter current tower of height 7.79 metre operating
at 300 k and atmospheric pressure. The equilibrium relation may be taken as, Y=2X
Where, Y= k mol H2S/ kmol iners gas & X= k mol H2S / k mol solvent
Pure solvent enters the tower and leaves containing 0.013 k mol H2S per k mol solvent. If
the flow of inert hydrocarbon gas is 0.015 k mol/m2 s and gas phase resistance controls
the process, calculate the overall coefficient for absorption KG a
 DISTILLATION
1. Vapor pressures of Benzene and Toluene mixture are given in the table below. Assuming that
this mixture follow Rault's law, Calculate and plot the boiling point diagram and the equilibrium
composition curve. The total pressure is 1 atm.

2. Explain Raoults Law for ideal solutions. Compute the vapor-liquid equilibria at constant
pressure of 1 standard atmosphere for mixtures of n-heptane (A) with n-octane (B), which may
be expected to form ideal solutions. Also calculate the relative volatility for each temperature
and its average value.

3. A liquid (50 mole % Acetone and 50 mole % Ethanol) is flash vaporized with 70 mole % of
liquid vaporized. Compute the composition of liquid and vapor. Relative volatility of Acetone to
Ethanol: 2.17
4. A liquid mixture of 50 mole% n-heptane (i) and 50 mole% n-octane (ii) were subjected to
differential distillation at atmospheric pressure with 55 mole% of the liquid distilled. Compute
the composition of the composite distillate and the residue.

5. The charge to a simple batch still consists of an equimolar binary mixture of A and B. For
values of AB of 2, 5, 10, 100, and 1000, and 50% vaporization of A, determine the percent
vaporization of B and the mole fraction of B in the total distillate.
6. A mixture of 45 mole % A and remaining B is to be separated in distillation column. The
concentration of A in the distillate is 94 mole % and 95 mole % of all A is in distillate. Compute
the composition of A and B in distillate and residue. Relative volatility of A to B is 2.5.

7. A continuous distillation column is to be designed to separate 3000 kg/hr of a mixture of 60%

(by wt.) benzene (A) and 40% (by wt.) toluene (B)into an overhead and bottom product
containing 97 wt% benzene and a bottom product containing 98 wt% toluene. A reflux ratio of
3.5 moles to1 mole of product is to be used. Calculate the rates of overhead and bottom products.
Calculate the number of theoretical plates using McCabe & Thiele method and position of feed
plate if the feed is liquid at its boiling points. Calculate also minimum reflux ratio. The distillate
is totally condensed and reflux returned at its boiling point. Relative volatility = 2.44.
8. 1000 kg moles/hr of an ethanol propanol mixture containing 65 moles per cent ethanol is to be
separated in a continuous plate column operating at 1 atm total pressure. The desired terminal
composition in units of mole fraction of ethanol is: XD=0.92 and XW=0.07
The feed is a saturated vapor and total condenser is used. When reflux flow rate is four times the
amount of top product, find the number of theoretical plates required for the separation. Relative
volatility of ethanol propanol system may be taken as 2.20.

9. A fractionation column has been installed to distillate 30000 kg/hr of a mixture of 40 %

Benzene & 60% Toluene (by weight). The overhead and bottom products are found to contain 97
% benzene and 97% toluene respectively. Carry out overall material balance.
HUMIDIFICATION AND DEHUMIDIFICATION
1. A gas (B) benzene (A) mixture is saturated at 1 std atm, 500C. Calculate the absolute
humidity if B is (a) nitrogen and (b) carbon dioxide. Data Given: Vapor pressure of nitrogen at
500C = 0.362 std atm.

2. Unsaturated air-vapor mixture is cooled out of contact of liquid at constant total pressure of
760 mm Hg from 65 C to 10 C. At 10 C it becomes saturated. Explain psychometric chart and
show above changes on it. What will be the Dew point for it?

3. In a mixture of benzene vapor (A) and nitrogen gas (B) at a total pressure of 800 mm Hg and
a temperature of 60 oC, the partial pressure of benzene is 100 mm Hg. Express the benzene
concentration in terms of mole fraction, volume fraction, molar absolute humidity and mass
absolute humidity.

4. The temperature of air in a room is 40.2 oC and the total pressure is 101.325 kPa absolute. The
air contains water vapor with a partial pressure of 3.74 kPa. The vapor pressure of water at this
temperature is 7.415 kPa. Calculate the humidity, the saturation humidity, percentage humidity
and the percentage relative humidity.
5. An air (B)-water vapor (A) sample has a dry bulb temperature 55 oC and an absolute humidity
0.030 kg water/ kg dry air at 1 atm pressure. Determine the following
(i) The absolute molal humidity
(ii) The partial pressure of water vapor
(iii) Relative humidity (vapor pressure of water at 55 oC = 118 mmHg
(iv) Humid heat
(v) Humid volume, where pressure in N/m2
DRYING
1. A porous solid is dried in a batch dryer under constant drying conditions. Five hours are
required to reduce the moisture content from 35 to 10%. The critical moisture content was found
to be 14% and the equilibrium moisture 4%. All moisture contents are on the dry basis.
Assuming that the rate of drying during falling rate period is proportional to the free moisture
content, how long should it take to dry a sample of same solid from 35 to 6% under the same
drying conditions?

2. A batch of solid for which the material is dried from 25 to 9% moisture has the initial weight
of solid to be 160 kg. The drying surface is 1 m2/40kg dry weight. Determine the time of drying
for constant rate period and falling rate period using graphical method. The data are as follows:

Where X= kg moisture / kg dry solid

N= rate of drying *103, kg evaporated /m2-sec.

3. A 150 kg batch of granular solids containing 32% moisture is to be dried in a tray dryer to 17
% moisture by passing a current of air at 350 k across its surface at a velocity of 1.8 m/s. If the
constant rate of drying under these conditions is 0.75 x 10-3 kg/m2s and the critical moisture
content is 15 %. The drying surface is 0.03 m2/kg dry weights. Calculate the drying time.