Assignment 3 (Subject: Ch.E.

401 Chemical Reactor Design)

(Due Date: 3rd October 2019)

Solve the following numerical Problems (CLO-1)

Question # 1
An irreversible reaction A → R is carried out in a non-isothermal CSTR reactor. Reactant is
introduced into reactor at 130 kg/h at 20◦C and the final conversion is 90%. The final
temperature is 160◦C. Calculate the heat required to reach this temperature and also the volume
of the reactor operating isothermally at 160◦C:
Rate constant: k = 2.61 × 1014 exp (−14570/T) h-1
Enthalpy of reaction: HR = 83 cal/g
Specific heat: CPA = CPB = 0.5 cal/(g · ◦C)
Density of the mixture: ρ = 0.9 g/cm3
Molecular weight of A: 250 g/mol

Question # 2
A reversible second-order reaction was carried out in a non-isothermal CSTR and the rate as a
function of temperature is known. The initial concentration is 8 kmol/m3. The volumetric flow
rate is 1.415 m3/min and the initial temperature of the reactant is 50◦C. The reaction temperature
is 80◦C and to keep it constant one utilizes a coil through which passes a fluid entering at 20◦C
and leaving at 80◦C. Determine the reactor volume and the coil surface area to a conversion of
60% of the equilibrium conversion at 80◦C. Some data are:
Specific heat of the mixture → Cp = 1.864 × 103 J/(kg◦C)
Enthalpy of reaction → HR = −1.50 × 107 J/kmol
Overall heat transfer coefficient → U = 2.300 J/(m2 s◦C)
Molecular weight of reactant → MA = 88
Flow rate of fluid into the coil → vc0 = 0.2 m3/min
Reaction rate → r = 1.11 × exp (12.5 − 5000/T)(1 − XA)2 − 2 × exp (25 − 10000/T)(XA)2
(lbmol/(ft3.min))

Question # 3
The gas-phase reaction of butadiene with ethylene (A + B → R) is irreversible and of second
order and has been carried out in an adiabatic PFR. One feeds the reactor with 40% butadiene,
40% ethylene, and balance in inert (molar %) at 450◦C and 1.25 atm. Determine the mean
residence time and the PFR volume at isothermal conditions, as well as the reactor volume at the
adiabatic condition for a final conversion of 10% in both cases, using the data:
Molar specific heats are
cp C4H6 = 36.8 cal/(mol K)
cp C2H4 = 20.2 cal/(mol K)
cp C6H10 = 59.5 cal/(mol K)
Reaction heat → HR = −30000 Kcal/mol
rate constant → k = 107.5 exp(−28,000/(RT)) (L/(mol s))
v0 = 0.05 L/s

Question # 4
Consider the reaction A → B, r= kCA, k300 = 0.05 min-1 , HR = -20 kcal/mole in a 10 liter
reactor with C A0 = 2 moles/liter and To = 300 K. At what rate must heat be removed to maintain
the reactor isothermal at 300 K for

a) Batch reactor at 90% conversion?

b) CSTR at 90% conversion?
c) PFTR at 90% conversion?

Question # 5
An irreversible reaction in vapor phase A → R + S is carried out in an adiabatic reactor of 500 L.
The reactant A is fed into the reactor with inert 50% and a volumetric flow rate of 10 mol/min
with a total pressure of 40 atm, the inlet temperature is 1100 K.
(a) Calculate the conversion as a function of volume.
(b) If the inlet temperature increases or decreases by 200◦C, what will happen?
(c) Calculate the outlet temperature of the adiabatic reactor to a conversion of 80%.
(d) Calculate the heat required under non-isothermal conditions.
Data:
Adiabatic reactor
Irreversible gas-phase reaction A → R + S
F0 = 10 mol/min
P = 2 atm
Tin = 1100 K
k = exp(34.34 − 34,222/T) L/(mol min)
CPI = 200 J/(mol k)
CPA = 170 J/(mol k)
CPR = 80 J/(mol k)
CPS = 90 J/(mol k)
H0R = 80 kJ/mol

Question # 6
The liquid phase reaction A→ B is to be carried out in a plug flow tubular reactor at a constant pressure of
202.6kPa. The feed is 600kmoles/ksec of pure A with an inlet temperature of 200°C. Pure A has a specific
volume of 0.056m3/kmole. The heat of reaction at 200°C is -15 kJ/mole. The molar specific heats of A
and B are both 42J/mole.°K. The reaction rate constant in this range is given by the expression;

k = 110 + 0.8(T - 200)

Where, T is measured in degrees Celsius
‘k’ has the units ksec-1

The reactor would be run adiabatically, but the maximum reaction temperature allowable is 400 °C, since
above this temperature undesirable by-products are formed. Calculate the minimum reactor volume
required to obtain 80% conversion of A. What must the heat transfer rate be in the cooling section of the
reactor?