FACULTY OF MATERIALS & CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

GIK INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY

Complex Engineering Problem

CH322 Reaction Kinetics and Reactor Design (Spring 2021)
Instructor: Engr. Imran Abbas
Total Marks: 100 Time: 3 weeks
Name: Reg. No:

Problem Statement
A part of grim economic outlook of Pakistan comes from huge trade deficit i.e. spending high
on imports as compared to the earnings from exports. Our annual exports remain stagnant at
about 25 billion USD while import of different commodities worth 60 billion USD was
recorded in 2018. These imports include several chemicals which can be produced locally to
lessen the burden on our national exchequer. Young and talented chemical engineers should
come up with design solutions to start their own business of producing chemicals.
A complete list of imported commodities is available at the website of Pakistan Bureau of
Statistics (Link below). Choose one of the chemicals, consider different routes of its
production and select one route while keeping in mind the ‘twelve principles of green
chemistry’. Choose a reasonable production capacity, find kinetics of the reactions from
literature and design all the reactors involved. Look at the conversions in each reactor, find
out if the conversions are limited by Thermodynamics or Kinetics. Think about different
ways to enhance the conversion and productivity. Prepare a report and submit for evaluation.

Evaluation Rubrics

KPI Excellent (3) Good (2) Needs Unsatisfactory

Improvement (1) (0)
Application of Can easily apply Can apply the Has difficulty in Has difficulty
Knowledge the knowledge of knowledge of applying the in knowledge
Engineering and Engineering and knowledge of application
background background Engineering and and does not
theory theory with little background go beyond the
guidance theory given
information
Problem Can easily use Converts word Has difficulty in Has difficulty
Formulation math, science, problems to math using math, getting
and engineering models with little science, and beyond the
fundamentals to guidance. engineering given
convert word fundamentals to information
problems to math formulate unless directly
models. problems. instructed.
 Solution Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Has no
Procedure creative synthesis solution with solutions by coherent
of the solution integration of implementing strategy for
and creates new diverse concepts only simple problem
alternatives by or derivation of applications with solving.
combining useful close analogies to
knowledge and relationships; class/lecture
information. however, no problems.
alternative
solutions are
generated.
Presentation of Used proper Used proper Has difficulty in is not able to
Knowledge engineering tools engineering tools using the present the
to present the to present the engineering tools knowledge
knowledge knowledge with to present the with
little guidance knowledge appropriate
engineering
tools
Computers & Can Can use modern The student is The student is
Software independently analytical familiar with familiar with
choose and software many software few
correctly apply packages with packages but appropriate
modern analytical occasional requires software
software guidance as to the assistance in packages but
packages for correct choice for applying them is seldom able
modeling, design, modeling, design, correctly to to use them
and analyze of and analyze of analyze appropriately.
engineering engineering engineering
problems. problems. problems.

Look at page 185 and onwards:

https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//external_trade/8_digit_level/export/IMPORTS%2
0BY%20COMMODITIES%20AND%20COUNTRIES%20%282019-2020%29.txt

You can also check importers of the selected chemical here:

https://geniusimpex.org/pakistan-import-data/

Good Luck!