Assignment 1 CHE505 (Please submit your answer on week 8)

Question 1 (20 marks)

a) Briefly discuss on how to prevent chemical degradation, mechanical degradation and

poisoning on catalyst.

b) Briefly explain the deactivation of catalyst in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process. State
an example of the model and its assumption to represent this catalytic cracking reaction.

Question 2 (20 marks)

The chlorination reaction of propane (PrH) was carried out at 25°C and 1 atm. The mechanisms
of reaction as below:

In initiation step, chlorine molecule can absorb radiant energy of the proper wavelength and
dissociate (photochemical activation). Thus,
𝑘1
Initiation: 𝐶𝑙2 + ℎ𝑣 → 2𝐶𝑙

 The rate production of Cl atoms depends on rate of adsorption of radiant energy, 𝑰𝒂 ,

therefore, 𝑟𝑖 = 2𝜑𝑖 𝐼𝑎 with 𝜑 = quantum yield of initiation step.

 Rate of energy absorption equal to the intensity of radiation, I, multiplied by the

absorptivity, α, and the chlorine concentration.

In propagation step, unstable intermediate Pr produce and also regenerated the activated Cl
reactant. These two reactions produce stable products PrCl and HCl and continuously
regenerated activated reactant.
𝑘2
Propagation: 𝐶𝑙 + 𝑃𝑟𝐻 → Pr + 𝐻𝐶𝑙
𝑘3
Pr + 𝐶𝑙2 → 𝑃𝑟𝐶𝑙 + 𝐶𝑙

The overall rate is reduced by the termination process that occurred by homogeneous
(intermolecular collision) and heterogeneous (collision with the wall, W, of reactor).
𝑘4
Termination: 𝐶𝑙 + 𝐶𝑙 → 𝐶𝑙2
𝑘5 Homogeneous
𝐶𝑙 + Pr→ 𝑃𝑟𝐶𝑙
𝑘6
𝐶𝑙 + 𝑊 → 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
𝑘7 Heterogeneous
Pr + 𝑊 → 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡

The rate consumption of Cl2 was independent of propane, 2nd order in chlorine and 1st order in
light intensity. If the controlling termination step is the heterogeneous termination of
propyl radical, determine the rate consumption of Cl2 or the rate formation of propyl chloride.