Process & Process Variables Chapter 2

2.0 PROCESS & PROCESS VARIABLES

2.1 Mass, Volume, Flow rate, Specific Gravity and Density
2.1.1 Differentiate between mass and weight.
(Final Exam Oct 2010)
2.1.2 The specific gravity of gasoline is approximately 0.70.

i. Determine the mass (kg) of 50.0 L of gasoline.

ii. The mass flow rate of gasoline exiting a refinery tank is 1150 kg/min.
estimate the volumetric flow rate in L/s.
iii. Estimate the average mass flow rate (Ibm/min) delivered by a gasoline
pump.
(Felder & Rousseau, 1999)
Ans: (i) 35 kg (ii) 27 L/s (iii) 29 lbm/min

2.1.3 The flow rate of water through a pipe is reported as 20 cubic feet per minute.
Taking density of water as 1 g/cm3, calculate the mass flow rate in kg/s.
(Final Exam Oct 2010)
Ans: 9.439 kg/s

2.1.4 Liquid toluene is flowing through a pipe at a rate of 175 m3/h. Determine:

i. The flow rate of this stream in kg/min.

ii. The molar flow rate in mol/s.
(Felder & Rousseau, 1999)
Ans: 2526 kg/min (ii) 457 mol/s

2.1.5 Chloroform is one of the pollutant contribute to air pollution and has a chemical
formula of CHCI3. Chloroform reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide to
produce dichlorocarbene which is used in NMR spectroscopy. Given the specific
gravity of chloroform is 1.489.

i. Calculate the mass flow rate in kg/min of the chloroform exiting a

refinery tank if the volumetric flowrate given is 2530 L/min.
ii. Chloroform and sodium hydroxide are reacted to produce
dichlorocarbene with specific gravity of 4.25. Calculate the volumetric
ratio (volumetric of chloroform/volumetric of sodium hydroxide) of the
two compounds in the dichlorocarbene. Given SG for sodium hydroxide
is 2.130 and assuming flow rate of the sodium hydroxide is 1 cm3 and
Vdichiorocarbene = Vchloroform + Vsodium hydroxide.
(Final Exam Oct 2006)
2.1.6 A 25.00 wt% aqueous sulfuric acid solution (ρ = 1.03 g/mL) flows through a
45-meter long pipe with a 60 cm diameter at a rate of 87 L/min.

i. Determine the molarity of sulphuric acid in the solution?

ii. Calculate the time taken for the sulphuric acid solution to fill on a
50-gallon tank.
iii. Calculate the amount of sulphuric acid (lbm) in the above (part b) tank.

13 Faculty Of Chemical Engineering, UiTM (Terengganu) Kampus Bukit Besi

 Process & Process Variables Chapter 2

iv. Calculate the mean velocity (cm/min) of the solution. The mean velocity
of a fluid in a pipe equals the volumetric flow rate divided by the cross
sectional are normal to direction of flow.
(Final Exam Apr 2006)
Ans: (i) 2.63 mol/L (ii) 2.16 min (iii) 107.64 Ibm H2SO4 (iv) 3077 cm/,in

2.1.7 A sulfuric acid solution (H2SO4) with a concentration of 0.50 Molar flows into a
reactor at a rate of 1.25 m3/min. The specific gravity of the solution is 1.03
(relative to water at 4°C). Calculate the following:

i. The total mass flow rate of Solution.

ii. The mass concentration of H2SO4 in the stream in kg/m3.
iii. The mass flow rate of H2SO4 in kg/s.
iv. The mass fraction of H2SO4 in kg/kg.
v. The molar flow rate of H2SO4 in gmol/s.
(Final Exam Mar 2012)
Ans: (i) 21.46 kg/s (ii) 49 kg/m3 (iii) 1.021 kg/s (iv) 0.048 kg/kg (v) 10.42 gmol/s

2.2 Average Molecular Weight and Composition

2.2.1 A stream of natural gas contains CO, CO2, CH4 and N2 is fed to a heater. The
numbers of moles of the substances in the sample are 30 gmol, 40 gmol, 35 gmol
for CO, CO2 and CH4 respectively. If the molar ratio of CH4 to N2 is 0.2,
calculate:

i. The mole fractions of each components of the natural gas.

ii. The average molecular weight of the natural gas.
(Final Exam Oct 2012)
Ans: (i) 0.107 mol CO/mol, 0.143 mol CO2/ mol, 0.125 mol CH4/mol, 0.625 mol N2/mol
(ii) 28.79 g/mol

2.2.2 65 g/s CO2 and 10 lbm/min O2 flow into a vessel. Calculate:

i. Molar flowrate of each gas.

ii. Molar composition of the resulting mixture.
iii. Average molecular weight of the mixture.

Ans: (i) 1.4773 mol CO2/s, 2.3625 mol O2/s (ii) 0.3847 mol CO2/mol, 0.6152 mol O2/mol
(iii) 36.61 g/mol

2.2.3 A mixture of a liquid is 10.0 mol% ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH), 75.0 mol% ethyl
acetate (C4H8O2) and 15.0 mol% acetic acid (CH3COOH). Calculate :

i. The average molecular weight of the mixture.

ii. The mass fractions of each component.
iii. The moles of a sample (in lb-moles) containing 25.0 kmol of ethyl acetate.

Ans: (i) 79.6 g/gmol (ii) 0.0578 g EA/g, 0.8291 g EC/g, 0.1131 g AA/g (iii) 73.49 lb-moles

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 Process & Process Variables Chapter 2

2.2.4 A process stream consisting of 30 wt% ethanol (C2H5OH), 40 wt% methanol

(CH3OH) and the balance is water, flows into a distillation tower at rate of
1000 gal/h. The specific gravity (S.G.) of the mixture is 0.85.
[Relative atomic mass: C = 12, O = 16, H = 1]

i. Determine the average molecular weight of the mixture.

ii. Calculate the molar composition of the mixture.
iii. Determine the molar flow rate of the mixture in kmol/s.
(Final Exam Oct 2007)
Ans: (i) 28.02 g/mol (ii) 18.3 mol% C2H5OH, 35.0 mol% CH3OH, 46.7 mol% H2O
(iii) 0.032 kgmol/s

2.2.5 A combustible gaseous mixture is contained in a tank at pressure 90 atm and

temperature of 110°C. The mixture has the following molar composition as
shown in Table 1. If the number of moles for this gaseous mixture is 250 mol,
calculate:
Table 1: Molar composition of combustible gaseous mixture

Compound Molar Composition

Methane, CH4 20%
Ethylene, C2H4 30%
Hydrogen, H2 50%

i. The mass fraction of each compound.

ii. The average molecular weight of the mixture.
iii. The gas mixture volume (in m3) using ideal gas law.
(Relative atomic mass: C = 12.00, H = 1.00, O = 16.00)
(Final Exam Oct 2008)
Ans: (i) 0.2540 g CH4/g, 0.6667 g C2H4/g, 0.0793 g H2/g (ii) 12.6 g/mol (iii) 0.08734 m3

2.2.6 A 250 kg of gaseous mixture with the composition of 19.3 wt% CO2, 72.1 wt% N2,
6.5 wt% O2 and 2.1 wt% H2O has been analyzed in a tank at atmospheric
pressure.

i. Determine the average molecular weight.

ii. Calculate the mole fraction of each component.
iii. Determine the moles of a sample (in Ib-moles) containing 20 kmol of
oxygen gas.
iv. If the temperature at the atmospheric pressure is 300 K, calculate the
volume of the gas in the tank in m3 unit. (Note: Use the ideal gas law)

Ans: (i) 30 g/mol (ii) 0.1316 mol CO2/mol, 0.7725 mol N2/mol, 0.0609 mol O2/mol,
0.0350 mol H2O/mol (iii) 724.013 lb-moles (iv) 7.907 x 103 m3

2.2.7 A gas mixture contains of three components: Argon, X and Z. The composition
of this mixture is 40 mole% Argon, 18.75 wt% X and 20 mole% Z. The molecular
weight of Argon and Z are 40 g/mol and 50 g/mol respectively. Determine:

i. The molecular weight of X.

ii. The average molecular weight of the mixture

15 Faculty Of Chemical Engineering, UiTM (Terengganu) Kampus Bukit Besi

 Process & Process Variables Chapter 2

(Final Exam Apr 2009)

Ans: (i) 15 g/mol (ii) 32 g/mol

2.2.8 A mixture of gases was found in a process stream that was fed into an absorber.
The gases contains 16 wt% H2S, 36 wt% SO2, 22 wt% O2 and the rest is N2. The
feed rate to the absorber is 150 kg/h at temperature 56°C. The temperature at the
outlet stream of the absorber is 74ºC.
[Given: H = 1.008, S = 32.065, O = 15.9994, N = 14.0067]

i. Calculate the mole composition (mole fraction) for every component.

ii. Determine the equivalent temperatures in ºF for the inlet and outlet
streams temperatures of the absorber.
iii. Calculate directly the interval in K between the temperatures.

Ans: (i) 0.1773 mol H2S/mol, 0.2123 mol SO2/mol, 0.2597 mol O2/mol, 0.3506 mol N2/mol
(ii) 132.8ºF (inlet) 165.2ºF (outlet) (iii) 18K

2.3 Concentration, Pressure and Temperature

2.3.1 Define mass concentration and molar concentration. Give units for each
concentration in both SI and American engineering system.
(Final Exam Oct 2012)
2.3.2 200 cm3 acetic acid (CH3COOH) liquid (SG = 1.049) is mixed with 2 L 0.5 M
acetic acid solution. Determine the mass concentration (g/cm3) and molarity of
the resulting solution.

Ans: (i) 0.1226 g/cm3 (ii) 2.044 mol/L (M)

2.3.3 A 6.9 molar solution of KOH in water contains 30 wt% of KOH. Calculate the
density of the solution.
(Narayanan & Lakshmikutty, 2006)
Ans: 1288 kg/m3

2.3.4 The concentration of SO2 in the flue gas from a boiler is found to be 0.2 kg/m3 at
STP. Determine the concentration of SO2 in parts per million by volume at STP.
Assume the gas is ideal gas.
(Narayanan & Lakshmikutty, 2006)
Ans: 70007 ppm

2.3.5 An aqueous solution of NaCl contains 20% NaCl. The density of the solution is
1.16 g/mL. 500 mL water of density 1 g/mL is added to 1 liter of the solution.
Calculate the molarity of the resulting solution.
(Narayanan & Lakshmikutty, 2006)
Ans: 2.646 M

2.3.6 Distinguish between absolute and gauge pressure.

(Final Exam Apr 2011)
2.3.7 Perform the following pressure conversion and assume that the atmospheric
pressure is 1 atm.

16 Faculty Of Chemical Engineering, UiTM (Terengganu) Kampus Bukit Besi

 Process & Process Variables Chapter 2

i. 2600 mm Hg to psi.
ii. 25.0 psig to mm Hg (gauge).
iii. 3.00 atm to N/cm2.
iv. 280 cm Hg to dyne/m2.
(Felder & Rousseau, 1999)
Ans: (i) 50.3 (ii) 1293 (iii) 30.4 (iv) 3.733x1010

2.3.8 Converts the temperatures in part (i) and (ii) and temperature intervals in parts
(iii) and (iv).

i. T = 85°F to °R, °C, K.

ii. T = -10°C to K, °F, °R.
iii. ∆T = 85°C to K, °F, °R.
iv. ∆T = 150°R to °F, °C, K.
(Felder & Rousseau, 1999)
Ans: (i) 544°R, 303K, 30°C (ii) 263K, 14°F, 474°R (iii) 85K, 153°F, 153°R (iv) 150°F, 83.3K, 83.3°C°

2.3.9 A 1 liter aqueous solution containing 20 wt% NaCl has a density of 1.16 g/mL.
During dilution process, 500 mL of water is added to the aqueous solution. Given
the atomic number for Na and Cl are 23 and 35 g/gmol, respectively. Determine:

i) The initial molar fraction for both components.

ii) The initial average molecular weight of the solution.
iii) The molarity of the resulting solution.
(Final Exam Mac 2014)

17 Faculty Of Chemical Engineering, UiTM (Terengganu) Kampus Bukit Besi