CPT assignment

1. Typical temperature profile in an ammonia reactor is given below. Why are the dashed lines
not parallel to the temperature axis? Are the solid lines parallel? Why or why not?

2. The ICI and Kellogg quench reactors are used for the intermediate cooling in the ammonia
production process. Which reactor is most convenient concerning catalyst loading and
unloading?
3. Explain various methods used for the hydrogen recovery from the Off-gases like purge gas
from ammonia, hydrotreaters, etc.
4. Urea production from ammonia is governed by following reactions:

What is the influence of temperature and pressure on the two reactions? Why do the CO2
conversion and the urea concentration go through a maximum as a function of
temperature? What is the effect of water on the CO2 conversion and urea yield?
5. A simple block diagram of a CO2 stripping process for urea production is given below
 Explain why stripping with ammonia or carbon dioxide works. Why is a large water recycle to
the reaction section, typical of carbamate-solution-recycle processes, a disadvantage? The
carbamate condenser, the urea reactor, and the stripper all operate at a pressure of 140 bar.
What is the reason?
6. Why biuret is detrimental to crops? How does the biuret formation minimize in the urea
production process?
7. Explain the processes used for the production of synthesis gas from Natural gas with process
flow sheet?
8. What are the optimum conditions used for the steam reforming of natural gas with help of
reaction kinetic and thermodynamic data?
9. What is meant by “distillation of coal”? Compare distillation of coal, the production of coke
for blast furnaces, and “coking” processes in the oil refinery. In what respects are they
similar?
10. Explain the hydrodeoxigination process used to convert the lignocellulosic biomass to
hydrocarbons.
11. What fractions of gasoline and diesel are based on biomass in the world and in the EU?
12. What is the reason for carrying out the transesterification process instead of using the oils?
and fats directly as fuels? How is the phase separation done after transesterification? What
would be the impurities in the crude glycerol? Why and how would glycerol be bleached?
13. Obviously, glycerol is produced as a by-product. Are the amounts produced large (compare
with the world market for glycerol)? What would be markets for crude glycerol and refined
glycerol? Suggest conversion routes for the production of marketable products from
glycerol.
14. What are chemicals can be produced from lignocellulosic biomass? State the reactions.
15. What is the biorefinery? What are the similarities and differences between biorefinery and
oil refinery?
16. Why does Hydroxymethyprufual is called as a platform molecule? Explain the process that
can be used for the large scale synthesis of various polymers?
17. Why is a combination of short residence and high temperature chosen and not a larger
residence time and a lower temperature for ammonia oxidation?
18. You are in charge of an R&D team developing low-temperature processes for Selective
Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx. A coworker suggests the development of a catalyst that is
active at very low temperature, in the range of 380 to 400 K.Would you agree with this idea?
Explain. Take into consideration that the gas phase might contain SO2. (Hint: the SCR
catalyst might catalyze the oxidation of SO2.)
19. SCR has the fundamental disadvantage that a pollutant is removed by a stoichiometric
20. reaction with a valuable chemical. Can you think of a process that is fundamentally much
more elegant? Why is that process not applied in practice? Estimate the cost of ammonia
consumption. Is this significant?
21. Explain why the NaOH product stream for the diaphragm process is contaminated with NaCl.
What are major impurities in the Cl2 product stream?