PROCESS ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS A

CHMT 2021A/2025A
SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND,
JOHANNESBURG

PROF Diakanua Nkazi

 Topic 2. Non-Reactive Mass Balance

Monday 15 March Friday 19 March

■ Content ■ Content
1. Process Engineering System 1. Degree of Freedom
2. Material Balance Equation 2. Method for solving Non-reactive
balance problems
 1. PROCESS ENGINEERING SYSTEM
Semi-Continuous process: The process is a
1.1 Process Engineering System combination of both batch and continuous
processes.
■ 1.1.1 Definitions
Steady State system: The system in which the
Continuous process: The process allows continuous process variables (such as flowrate, temperature,
feeding of materials in and continuous removal of pressure, composition,…) change from stream to
materials out of the defined system(s). another, but not with time.
𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑚 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝑚 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 Unsteady State system: The transient system in
− = which the process variables change with time.
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Batch process: The process allows the removal of
Input Materials: The material that fed a defined
materials out of the defined system(s) before system or unit operation
feeding in the next batch of materials. No materials
are added during the given time of the running Output Materials: The material that exit a defined
system or unit operation
process, but energy may be added or withdrawn to
maintain the operating conditions. Generated Materials (or Produced Materials): The
materials that are generated or produced in a
defined system or unit operation.
Consumed Material (or Reacted Material): The 1.1.2 Examples
materials that are generated or produced in a
defined system or unit operation. a. From the processes given in Figures 1.1
and 1.2, identify the Input, generated, output,
Accumulated Material: The materials that are built consumed and accumulated materials.
up in a defined system or unit operation. The
materials left in a defined system at the end of a Figure 1.1
process.
Differential and Integral Balances: The differential Juice
balance expressed the change of process variable
with time or position. The rate of a process variable
(change with time) is mostly used for continuous
processes, while the integral balance is used
frequently used for batch processes. Orange
Block Flow Diagram: The flowchart that gives a
layout of a defined process, in which details of Peel Flesh
species at the process streams are provided within
the layout to indicate the process variables of
interest.
 b. Complete Tables 1.1 and 1.2
Figure 1.2
System Batch, Semi-continuous or
Continuous
CHMT 2021/25A class Opened bottle with alcohol (defined
the system and period in which the
identified system is valid)
An electrical cable that provides
electricity to your room (exclude the
load shedding period)
Process Engineering class after
registration and before publication of
the results by the Examination Board
(No students’ exclusion took place)

System Examples
Steady state

Unsteady state
 1.2 Material Balance Equation
1.2.1 Balance Equation ■ General balance equation
Material balance is based on the hypothesis of Input + Generation - Output - Consumption =
conservation of mass or energy around a process Accumulation
engineering system. The concept is used in the
■ Steady state system
industry to manage the materials within the process
engineering system and evaluate the level of waste. Input + Generation - Output - Consumption = 0
In general, if the materials entering the system is not (Accumulation = 0)
equal to the material leaving the system, there
should be a problem, which should be consumption, ■ Non-reactive balance steady state system
generation or accumulation of materials. Input - Output = 0 (No
Generation and no Consumption)
 1.2.2 Examples
■ 1. A process is used to recover solid salt from a ■ 3. A mixer is used to dilute a briny water. As
pre-treated seawater. As a process engineer, you a process engineer, you are required to
are required to determine the mole flowrate of determine the mass flowrate of water
solid salt produced and the composition of the (stream 2) needed to dilute a briny water
liquid product (stream 2), if 1500 kmol/s of pre- and the mass flowrate of the product
treated seawater as stream 1 (containing 20 % (stream 3), if 200 kg/s of briny water as
mole of salt) fed the process and the liquid stream 1 (containing 20 % mole of salt) fed
product contains 5 % of the fed salt. the mixer and the product stream contains
7.2 % mole of salt.
■ Calculate the compositions and the stream
■ 2. A separator is used to recover vegetable oil
flowrate of streams 3, 5 and 7
from a boiled sunflower seed. As a process
engineer, you are required to determine the
mass flowrate of oil extracted and the mass of 80 mol/h
0.8
Ethanol 45
0.3
Ethanol
0.7
Ethanol
45
mol/h

water in the water - oil product stream (stream

mol/h

200 mol/h
2), if 100 kg/s of boiled sunflower seed as 0.5

stream 1 (containing 20 kg/s of water) fed the

3 5 7
Ethanol
0.5

separator and the water - oil product stream Water

contains 35 kg/s of oil.

 Extra Examples
1. A slurry consists of 25 mass% particles and a a) stream 2 = 3 m3/h of pure water
dilute solution of copper sulphate. The concentration b) stream 2 = 5 m3/h of 20 g/L solution
of copper in the solution is 0.3 mass% Cu. Consider of NaCl in water
150 kg of the slurry. Calculate
c) stream 2 = 8 m3/h solution with 10
a) The mass% Cu in the slurry as a whole g/L NaCl and 15 g/L HCl
b) The mass of solids and copper in the slurry 3. Calculate the flow rate and composition of
c) The mass% Cu in the slurry if the stream 3 given that stream 1 flows at 50 tph
concentration of copper in the solid phase (tons per hour) and it contains 0.5 mass%
(the particles) is 1.0 mass%. NaOH and 30 ppm Au
2. Calculate the flow rate and composition of stream a) stream 2 = 30 tph of pure water
3 when the flow rate of Stream 1 is 10 m3/h and its b) stream 2 = 1 tph of solution
composition is 5 g/L NaCl and 2 g/L HCl and containing 3 mass% NaOH and 400
ppm Au.