ENG298 Principles of Process Engineering – Major Test June 3rd, 2020

Names & Student No. MAJOR TEST

(OPEN BOOK)

(TIME 150 MINUTES)

PROBLEM 1 (20 MARKS)

A humidifier is used to provide air with the right level of humidity. The humidifier produces air with
3.5 %mol of water. To get the desirable humidity (2% mol water) from the process, a portion of the main
feed (which is 1 %mol water) by-passes the humidifier and is mixed with its output. The flowchart of the
process can be found below. If the process takes place at 1 atm and 25 °C:
a) How many grams of water is required for each cubic meter of input air?
b) What percentage of input air needs to bypass to humidifier to produce the desirable product?

Input Air Product

Water: 1 %mol Water: 2 %mol
Dry air: 99 %mol Dry air: 98 %mol
Humidifier
Humidifier Output
Water: 3.5 %mol
Dry air: 96.5 %mol

Water

PROBLEM 2 (30 MARKS)

A stream of ammonia (NH3) with flowrate of 10 kg/s is to be heated from 20 °C to 85 °C in a heat
exchanger. The heat for this process is provided by a stream of superheated steam which enters the
heat exchanger at 7 bar and 350°C and exits at 6.5 bar and 200°C. The change in kinetic and potential
energy is negligible.
a) Calculate the amount of heat (in kW) absorbed by ammonia.
b) What is the mass flowrate of superheated steam (kg/s)?

10 kg/s ammonia
20 °C 85 °C

Superheated steam Superheated steam

6.5 bar, 200 °C 7 bar, 350 °C

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ENG298 Principles of Process Engineering – Major Test June 3rd, 2020
PROBLEM 3 (50 MARKS)
Wet biomass is to be dried in a process using a stream of hot air. Wet biomass (30 %wt solid biomass
and balance water) enters the dryer at a rate of 1500 kg/h and temperature of 25 °C. After removing the
majority of water, the final product exits the process with only 10 %wt water at 80 °C.
Hot air with negligible amount of moisture is used to remove water. The stream of wet air exits the dryer
at 80 °C containing 1.5 %mol water.
a) Calculate the composition of wet air in %wt, and its average molecular weight.
b) What is the flow rate (kg/h) of final product?
c) At what rate (kg/h) water is evaporated?
d) What is the standard flow rate (flowrate at STP i.e. 1 atm and 0 °C) of input dry air in m3/s?
e) If the dryer operates adiabatically, at what temperature does the input dry air need to be
supplied?

• Dryer operates at 1 atm.

• Change in kinetic and potential energy is negligible.
• Specific enthalpy of feed = -1702.9 kJ/kg
• Specific enthalpy of product = -160.7 kJ/kg

Wet Air (80 °C)

Dry Air
1.5%mol Water

Dryer
Feed (25 °C)
1500 kg/h Product (80 °C)
30 %wt Biomass 90 %wt Biomass
70 %wt Water 10 %wt Water

NOTE

Full marks will only be given providing the solution is readable, correct and complete working
is provided.

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