CHP 482- TUTORIALS

QUESTION ONE

(a) State the distinguishing characteristics of the following reactions:

(i) Single reaction

(ii) Multiple reaction

(iii) Elementary reaction

(iv) Non-elementary reaction

(b) The following three sets of elementary liquid-phase reactions are carried out using different
contacting patterns so as to maximize the desired product R:
k1
(i) A+B R
k2
A S
K3
(ii) A+B R
K4
2A T
k5
(iii) A+B R
k6
A U
k7
B V
If S, T, U and V are all undesired products, what comparative reactant concentrations of A and B
should be used in each set? Suggest possible contacting patterns to be used to maximize the
desired product in each set. Assume isothermal conditions.

QUESTION TWO (CARRY AWAY CAT)

Develop the un-reacted core mathematical model as used in catalyst regeneration in a fluidized
bed reactor giving an expression of fractional time for complete regeneration of spherical
catalyst particles in terms of the degree of conversion.
QUESTION THREE
The kinetics on a heterogeneous reaction system was studied in an experimental packed bed
reactor using various amounts of catalyst and a feed rate of 10mol/hr. It is desired to scale up the
above operation by designing a large packed bed with a feed rate of 400mol/hr. Compute the
amount of catalyst needed for 80% conversion in the large packed bed if the ratio ΔW/ΔX in the
experimental packed bed reactor for 80% conversion is equal to 20kg. Assume the conditions of
pressure, temperature and composition are the same in both the laboratory and industrial scale
operations and hence the rate of reaction is an intensive property.
.
 QUESTION FOUR
For the reaction A 4R, the following rate concentration data are obtained:
CA[mol/liter] 0.039 0.0575 0.075 0.092
-rA’[mol/(hr.kg) 3.4 5.4 7.6 9.1

Directly from this data and without using a rate equation, determine the size of packed bed
needed to treat 2000mol/hr of pure A to 35% conversion given CA0 = 0.1mol/liter.

QUESTION FIVE
6(1−ε )
(a) For a fixed bed reactor packed with spherical catalyst pellets, prove that a =
d
where a =area created by packing, d = diameter of pellets and ε = porosity of reactor bed.
(b) Determine the amount of catalyst needed in a packed bed reactor for 35% conversion for
a feed of 2000mol/hr of pure A for the following gaseous reaction: A 4R.
Assume first-order kinetics and that CA0 = 0.1mol/dm3 and rate constant k=
96dm3/(hr.kg).
QUESTION SIX
The second-order liquid-catalyzed decomposition of gaseous reactant proceeds as follows:
A R. A tubular pilot plant with 2dm3 of catalyst is fed with 2m3/hr of pure A at 3000C and
20atm. Conversion of reactant is 65%. In a similar but industrial plant, it is desired to treat
100m3/hr of feed gases at 40atm and at 3000C containing 60% and 40% diluents to achieve 85%
conversion. Determine the internal volume of the industrial reactor required by assuming ideal
gas conditions where the universal gas constant is taken as equal to 0.082atm.dm3/(mol.K)

QUESTION SEVEN
In medical applications, the main objectives for drug delivery are to deliver the drug to the
correct location in the patient’s body and to obtain a specified drug concentration profile in the
body through a controlled release of the drug over time. Since drugs are often administered as
tablets, studies have shown that the shrinking core model appropriately models the dissolution of
a tablet in the stomach of a patient. In one such study, it was found out that after a time of 6
hours, 99.2% of the tablet is dissolved and disappears after a time of 7.5 hours. If the time for the
progressive dissolution of the tablet is given by the surface reaction expression: t =
ρR
bkC { }
1−
rc
R
,
show that the tablet dissolution pharmacokinetics is described by surface reaction as the rate-
controlling mechanism and determine the time required for the pill radius to be reduced by 90%
from its initial value given the following data: the molar density of pill =1.2 mol/cm 3, initial
radius = 0.4cm, initial concentration of bioactive molecule =0.5mol/cm3 and specific rate
constant =0.016cm/min. Assume a mole ratio of 1:1 and that the pills are spherical in shape.

QUESTION EIGHT
For a certain mass transfer-dominated reaction system, the effects of system geometry and flow
conditions past a catalyst pellet can be expressed by the dimensionless group correlation: Sh = 2
+ 0.6(Re)1/2Sc1/3. An industrial establishment desires to increase its product output in a mass
transfer-controlled reaction system and the management has sought your consultations on the
effects of system geometry and flow conditions on the product output in the turbulence regime of
flow in the above reaction system. Give the appropriate advice as a chemical engineer.

QUESTION NINE
(a) Using an electrical circuit analogy, explain what you understand by the term ‘rate-
limiting step’ in a heterogeneous chemical reaction process.
(b) Explain the three surface phenomena that occur in a catalytic reaction.

QUESTION TEN
Explain the following: (a) The phenomena responsible for catalyst deactivation.

(b) The advantages and disadvantages of fixed bed and fluidized bed reactors.

QUESTION ELEVEN
A and B react with each other as follows: 2A R with rR = 0.2CA2,
A+B S with rS = CACB and
2B T with rT = 0.8CB2. Determine the ratio of A and B that should be maintained in a
CSTR reactor so as to maximize the fractional yield of desired product S. Hint: S is an
intermediate product in a series reaction.

QUESTION TWELVE
(a) Give two reasons why transition metals exhibit catalytic properties in several reactions.
(b) Pulse input method is widely used in Residence time Distribution analysis. Explain the
principle behind this method.
(c) Explain how you would use the C-curve to plot an E(t) curve and prove that the area
under the Residence time Distribution function E(t) from time t=0 to time t= ∞ is equal to
unity.
QUESTION THIRTEEN
(a) Name two common materials used as tracers in RTD analysis.
(b) Outline the physico-chemical characteristics of such tracer materials.

QUESTION FOURTEEN
A sample of a tracer was injected as a pulse to a reactor and the effluent concentration measured
as a function of time. The results were tabulated as shown below.

t(min) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14
C(g/m3) 0 1 5 8 10 8 6 4 3 2.2 1.5 0.6 0

Sketch graphs showing C(t) and E(t) as functions of time and determine the percentage of
material leaving the reactor that has spent between 3 and 6 minutes in the reactor. Use the five-
x4

point quadrature formula: ∫ f ( x ) dx=h /3 [f ( x 0)¿+ f ( x 1 ) +2 f ( x 2 )+ 4 f ( x 3 ) + f (x 4)]¿ where h=

x0
x3
x 4−x 0
and/or Simpson’s three-eighths rule: ∫ f ( x ) dx=3 h/8[ f ( x 0 ) +3 f ( x 1 )+ 3 f ( x 2 ) + f ( x 3 ) ].
4 x0
 QUESTION FIFTEEN
A k1 B k2 C

For an elementary series reaction whose stoichiometric equation is as shown above, it is desired

to optimize on the desired product B. Using the Integrating Factor (IF) prove that the optimal

time needed to achieve maximum B is given by the expression: τ 'opt= 1

ln(k 1 /k 2 )
k 2−k 1
and that the corresponding conversion of reagent A is given by the expression:
k 1 /( k1−k 2 )
X opt=1−( k 1 /k 2 )

By use of the concept of resistances to reaction, comment on the comparative rates of formation

of the products B and C for a scenario when k1>k2 and when k1<k2.

QUESTION SIXTEEN

Determine the amount of catalyst needed in a packed bed reactor for 35% conversion for a feed
of 2000mol/hr of pure A for the following gaseous reaction: A R. Assume second-
order kinetics and that CA0 = 0.1mol/dm3 and rate constant k= 96dm3/(hr.kg).
QUESTION SEVENTEEN

For the regeneration of a catalyst deactivated by coking, the time of regenerative reaction is
given by the shrinking core mathematical model as follows:
t =ρBR2/(6DeCAg)[1-3(rc/R)2 +2(rc/R)3] where t = time of regeneration, ρB= molar density of
carbon, R= initial radius of deactivated catalyst pellet, De=effective diffusivity of regenerating
gas, CAg=initial concentration of regenerating gas and rc = radius of core of catalyst after time t.
Develop an expression of fractional time for complete regeneration of spherical catalyst pellets
in terms of the degree of conversion only.

QUESTION EIGHTEEN

With the relevant derivations, outline the procedures involved in an experimental determination
of mean residence time of a tracer material in a reactor and hence volume of the reactor using
the pulse input method in Residence Time Distribution (RTD) analysis.