B.

Tech VII (Seventh) Semester Examination 2015-16

Course Code: ECH701 Paper ID: 0967139

Chemical Reaction Engineering - II

Time: 3 Hours Max. Marks: 70

Note: Attempt six questions in all. Q. No. 1 is compulsory.

1. Answer any five of the following (limit your answer to 50
words). (4x5=20)
a) Differentiate between progressive conversion model and
shrinking core model.
b) Cite any two examples for each of homogeneous and
heterogeneous reactions.
c) What are the important components of a catalyst?
d) What are the assumption used in the derivation of Langmuir
adsorption isotherm?
e) What is tortuosity as used in the context of pore diffusion?
f) Differentiate between the internal and overall effectiveness
factors.
g) Explain the significance of Weisz-Prater criterion for internal
diffusion.
h) What is the significance of enhancement factor?

2. t-Butyl alcohol (TBA) is an important octane enhancer that is

used to replace lead additives in gasoline. TBA is produced
by the liquid phase hydration of isobutene (I) by water (W)
over an Amberlyst-15 catalyst. The system is normally a
multiphase mixture of hydrocarbon, water and solid catalysts.
However, the use of cosolvents or excess TBA can achieve
 reasonable miscibility. The reaction mechanism is believed to k (specific reaction rate) = 4.42 × 10-10 m/s. (10)
be:
7. A feed consisting of 30% of 50-μm-radius particles, 40% of

 I.S
I + S 
 100-μm-radius particles and 30% of 200-μm-radius particles
is to be fed continuously in a thin layer onto a moving grate

 W.S
W + S 
 crosscurrent to a flow of reactant gas (see Fig. 1). For the
planned operating conditions the time required for complete

 TBA.S + S
W.S + I.S 
 conversion is 5, 10, and 20 min for the three sizes of particles.
Find the conversion of solids on the grate for a residence time

 TBA + S
TBA.S 
 of 8 min in the reactor. The flow of solids may be assumed to
be in plug flow and the gas is supposed to be having uniform
Derive a rate law assuming that the surface reaction is rate compositiont. (10)
limiting. (10)

3. In heterogeneous solid catalysedgaseous reactions, the

surface reaction may proceed in a number of ways e.g.
single-site, dual site or Eley-Rideal mechanisms. Explain
each of these mechanisms in detail and write down the
corresponding surface reaction rate-laws for each of Fig. 1
them. (10)
8. Develop the performance equation for a one dimensional
4. What do you understand by the term “falsified kinetics”? fixed bed reactor operating at steady state and sustaining a
Show that for a power-law kinetics taking place in a CSTR: mass transfer limited reaction. Also find the expression for
1  n E  2E concentration profile assuming negligible dispersion in axial
n'  & T App
2 direction. (10)
where n & n ' are the true (actual) and apparent (measured)
reaction orders respectively, and ET & E App are true and
apparent activation energies respectively. (10)

5. Derive the model equation describing an isothermal diffusion

reaction process inside a flat catalyst pellet. (10)

6. Calculate the internal effectiveness factor for a first order

irreversible and isothermal reaction taking place inside a
spherical catalyst pellet. Use the following data.
R (pellet radius)= 3 ×10-3 m.
De (effective diffusivity) = 1.82 × 10-8 m2/s
ρc(catalyst density) = 2.8 ×106 g/m3