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University of Melbourne Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 411-102 Chemical Process Analysis Tutorial Sheet C

This document contains 6 chemistry problems related to chemical process analysis. Problem 1 involves calculating reactor composition from percentage conversion and yield data. Problem 2 involves calculating mole fractions in a product mixture from reaction extent data. Problem 3 involves calculating purge stream composition and flow rate to limit an impurity in a hydrogen recycle system.

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An Fakeihah
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64 views

University of Melbourne Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 411-102 Chemical Process Analysis Tutorial Sheet C

This document contains 6 chemistry problems related to chemical process analysis. Problem 1 involves calculating reactor composition from percentage conversion and yield data. Problem 2 involves calculating mole fractions in a product mixture from reaction extent data. Problem 3 involves calculating purge stream composition and flow rate to limit an impurity in a hydrogen recycle system.

Uploaded by

An Fakeihah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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University of Melbourne

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering


411-102 CHEMICAL PROCESS ANALYSIS
TUTORIAL SHEET C

1. Acetaldehyde, CH3CHO, can be produced by catalytic dehydrogenation of ethanol, C2H5OH,


via the reaction
C2H5OH → CH3CHO + H2

There is, however, a parallel reaction producing ethyl acetate, CH3COOC2H5 :


2C2H5OH → CH3COOC2H5 + 2H2
Suppose that in a given reactor the conditions are adjusted so that a percentage conversion of
87 % of the ethanol is obtained with a 53 % yield of acetaldehyde. Calculate the composition
of the reactor product assuming the feed consists of pure ethanol.

2. A mixture containing 68.4% H2, 22.6% N2 and balance CO2 reacts according to the scheme
N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O
until the mixture contains 15.2% NH3 and 5.0% H2O. Calculate the mole fractions of N2, H2,
CO2 and CO in the product mixture.

3. Hydrogen is used to reduce 2.3 ton/h Fe2O3 to metallic iron according to the reaction
Fe2O3 + 3H2 → 2Fe + 3H2O
The water is condensed and the unreacted hydrogen is recycled (see diagram). Because the
hydrogen in the fresh feed contains 1.1% CO2 as an impurity, some of the unreacted hydrogen
must be purged. Calculate the flow rate and the composition of the purge stream required to
limit the CO2 in the reactor feed to 2.8% if the ratio of recycle to fresh feed is 11:2 on a molar
basis.
MW(Fe) = 55.85 MW(H) = 1.01 MW(O) = 16.00

4. Methane and oxygen react in controlled conditions in the presence of a catalyst to


formaldehyde according to the desired reaction:
CH4 + O2 → HCHO + H2O
In an undesired, parallel side reaction some of the methane is oxidized to carbon dioxide and
water,
CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O
The exit gas stream from a catalyst from a catalytic reactor fed with methane and oxygen only
analyses as follows:
HCHO 39.0 mol %
CO2 5.2 mol %
O2 4.2 mol %
CH4 2.2 mol %
H2O 49.4 mol %

Assuming that the above two reactions are the only ones occurring, calculate:
a) Percentage conversion of CH4.
b) Percentage excess of O2.
c) Percentage yield.
d) Selectivity.

5. Potassium nitrate (KNO3) crystals are to be recovered from solution, supplied at a rate of 6,700
kg/h, which contains as solutes 20% w/w KNO3 and 0.5% w/w of an impurity X, while the
balance is water. This feed solution is mixed with a recycle stream containing 34% w/w KNO3
and 10% w/w X, balance water, and fed to an evaporator where pure water is boiled off to
produce a solution containing 50% w/w KNO3. This hot solution passes to cooling crystallizer
(causing crystals of KNO3 to come out of solution, X is soluble and remains in solution). The
slurry of KNO3 crystals is then filtered to produce a clear filtrate, containing 34% w/w KNO3
which becomes the recycle stream referred to above. The filter cake consists of KNO3 crystals
and a solution of the same composition as the filtrate (or recycle stream). The content of
solution in this filter cake is 5 kg per 100 kg of dry KNO3 crystals. The impurity X, although
soluble, if allowed to accumulate in the system because of the recycle will eventually interfere
with the crystallization process. To prevent this, part of the recycle stream is split off, as a
purge stream and sent to waste. The rate of flow of this purge stream is adjusted so that under
steady state conditions the concentration of X in this recycle stream is 10% w/w.

Calculate:
a) Flow rate (kg/h) of the purge stream.
b) Percentage loss of KNO3 in the purge stream.
c) Flow rate (kg/h) of the recycle stream.
6. Perchloric acid can be produced via the flowsheet shown below. The reaction follows the
stoichiometry

Ba (ClO4)2 + H2SO4 → BaSO4 + 2 HClO4

The H2SO4 fed to the reactor is 20 % in excess of the stoichiometric amount required for
reaction with the fresh feed of Ba(ClO4)2. Every hour 1000 lb of the stream containing
Ba(ClO4)2 and HClO4 is fed to the reactor. Calculate the flow rates of all the streams. The
percentage conversion of Ba(ClO4)2 is 35 % per pass. Assume all compositions are on a
weight basis.

MW (H2SO4) = 98.08
MW (Ba(ClO4)2) = 336.25
MW (HClO4) = 100.46
MW (BaSO4) = 233.41

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