Assignment #1

Subject: Chemical Reactor Design

Department: Chemical Engineering

(7th semester)

Reg # 2016-CH-440

Submitted to: Mr. Imran

Submitted by: M. Abdullah Javed

University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

(Faisalabad Campus)
Chapter 17
Heterogeneous Reactions
(Problems)
(17.1)
Gaseous reactant A diffuses through a gas film and reacts on the surface
of a solid according to a reversible first-order rate,

where CA, is the concentration of A in equilibrium with the solid surface.

Develop an expression for the rate of reaction of A accounting for both
the mass transfer and reaction steps.

Solution:
First of all, we will apply mass transfer equation in order to find the rate of reaction for reversible
reaction step;
Mass Transfer Equatiton:
-ra = kg (CAg-CAs) ………. (i)
For reversible reaction step:
-ra = ks (CAs- CAe) ………...(ii)
Combining (i) & (ii)
kg (CAg-CAs) = ks (CAs- CAe)
kg CAg- kg CAs= ks CAs- ks CAe
kg CAg + ks CAe = ks CAs + kg CAs
kg CAg + ks CAe = ( ks + kg ) CAs
CAs = ( kg CAg + ks CAe )/ ( ks + kg )
Replacing CAs in (i) or (ii) gives
-ra = (1/(1/ ks + 1/ kg ))*( CAg - CAe )
____

(17.2)
Example 17.4 gives the final rate expression for film mass transfer followed
by a second-order rate expression for reaction on a plane surface. Please
derive this expression and show that it is correct.

Solution:
First of all, we will apply mass transfer equation for rate of reaction of 2nd order;
Mass Transfer Equation:
-ra = kg (CAg-CAs) ………. (i)
Second Order Equation:
-ra = ks CAs2 …………… (ii)
By Combining
kg (CAg-CAs) = ks CAs2
kgCAg– kgCAs=ksCAs2
kgCAg= kgCAs + ksCAs2
(CAs + ks/2ks)2= (kg/ks)*CAg + kg2/2ks2
CAs= (√(4CAgkskg + kg2)-kg)/2ks
Put value of CAs in (i)
-ra = kg (CAg-(√(4CAgkskg + kg2)-kg)/2ks)
By Simplifying
-ra = (kg / 2ks)*(2ksCAg + kg - (√(4CAgkskg + kg2)
____

(17.3)
In slurry reactors, pure reactant gas is bubbled through liquid containing
suspended catalyst particles. Let us view this kinetics in terms of the film
theory, as shown in Fig. P17.3. Thus, to reach the surface of the solid, the

reactant which enters the liquid must diffuse through the liquid film into
the main body of liquid, and then through the film surrounding the catalyst
particle. At the surface of the particle, reactant yields product according
to first-order kinetics. Derive an expression for the rate of reaction in terms
of these resistances.

Solution:
In order to find rate of reaction, we will combine gas-liq phase interphase, solid-liq interphase
and surface reaction as follow;
For gas and liquid interphase:
-ra= kg (CAi- CAl) ……….. (i)
For sollid and liquid interphase:
-ra= kl (CAl- CAs) ………… (ii)
For surface reaction:
-ra= ks CAs ………. (iii)
Combining (i), (ii) & (iii) and eliminating intermediate concentration CAl and CAs
-ra = (1/(1/kg + 1/kl + 1/ks))* Cai
____