ChE 344

Chemical Reaction Engineering

Winter 1999
Exam I
Part 1 (80%)
Solution

(10 pts) 1) The trimerization

3A(g) A3(g,l)
is carried out isothermally and without pressure drop in a PFR at 298 K and 2
atm. As the concentration of A3 increases down the reactor and A3 begins to
condense. The vapor pressure of A3 at 298 K is 0.5 atm. If an equal molar mixture
of A and inert, I, is fed to the reactor at what conversion of A will A 3 begin to
condense?

A g

Condensation begins at y

Species

Entering

Change

Before Cond.

After Cond.

A g

FA0

FA0X

FA

FA

Ig

FA0

---

FI

FI

A 3 g, l

---

FA 0 X
3

FA 3

FT

y A3 , e

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

FA 3

(30 pts) 2) In order to study the photochemical decay of aqueous bromine in bright
sunlight, a small quantity of liquid bromine was dissolved in water contained in
a glass battery jar and placed in direct sunlight. The following data were
obtained:
Time (min)
ppm Br

10
2.45

20
1.74

30
1.23

40
0.88

50
0.62

60
0.44

a) Determine whether the reaction rate is zero-, first-, or second-order in

bromine, and calculate the reaction rate constant in units of your choice.
b) Assuming identical exposure conditions, calculate the required hourly rate of
injection of bromine (in pounds) into a sunlit body of water 25,000 gal in
volume in order to maintain a sterilizing level of bromine of 1.0 ppm.
(Note: ppm parts of bromine per million parts brominated water by weight. In
dilute aqueous solutions, 1 ppm=1 milligram per liter, molecular weight of
Br = 80 Daltons.)

1 gal 3.785 liters

1 lb 454 gms
Rate law:

Experiment MB:

dC A

dt

Experimental data provides CA vs. time, thus

dC A

dt

Combine:

ln

See plot for

Pick 2 points: 2.45, 0.080

at random and 0.88, 0.029

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

dCA
can be calculated
dt

pick 0.88 , 0.029

Chart Estimate
t
X

(CA)
y

10

2.45

x
0.71

0.071

1.74

0.060
10

30

0.51

0.051

1.23

0.042
10

40

0.35

0.035

0.88

0.029
10

50

0.26

0.026

0.62

0.020
10

60

dy/dx
0.080

10
20

y/x

0.18

0.44

0.018
0.015

Problem 2, part b
FA

M.B.: rate in rate out + gen. = accum

dN A

dt
since the Br concentration is constant at 1 ppm, a steady state assumption is valid.
so

dN A

dt
FA

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

4
W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

(20pts) 3) The irreversible elementary gas phase reaction

2A

is currently carried out in a packed bed reactor containing 100 kg of catalyst. The
entering pressure is 20 atm and the exit pressure is 4 atm. Currently 50%
conversion is achieved. It is proposed to add a CSTR with 200 Kg of catalyst
downstream of the PBR. There is no pressure drop in the CSTR. The flow rate
and temperature remain unchanged.
a) What would be the overall conversion in such an arrangement?
b) Is there a better way to carry out the reaction, and if so what is it?

Current
P0 = 20

P=4

100 KG

X = 0.5

Proposed

X=?

a) CSTR:

Since

MB
PBR:

P

P0

RL

ST

1

C A

2
Combine: kC A0 1

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

kC 2A0
P

FA 0 P0

kC 2A0

FA 0

Integrate

kC 2A0
w
FA 0

2
For CSTR kC A0 1

wkC 2A0

P

FA 0 P0

no

b) Want higher conversion

1) reduce pressure drop use larger pellets
increase temperature larger k
2) Use CSTR followed by PFR.

6
W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

(10 pts) 4) The following reactions were found to occur while trying to make a desired
product B
(1)

Species X and Y are both foul pollutants

a) What is the instantaneous selectivity of B with respect to the foul pollutants X
and Y?
b) How would you carry out this reaction to maximize the formation of B?

Additional Information
k1A = .5 e

10,000/T

k2A = 50 e

20,000/T

min , T in degrees Kelvin

5,000/T

min , T in degrees Kelvin

k3A = 100 e
a)

min , T in degrees Kelvin

1

rB

Selectivity of B with respect to x and y

S BXY

b) In order to maximize the formation of B, SBXY should be maximized.

High CA use PFR
Low Temperature

7
W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

(10 pts) 5) The catalytic reaction

A

to be carried out in a flow reaction system has the following rate law,

where

k = 1 min

KA = 1 dm /mol
3

The entering concentration of A is 2 mol/dm . What type of reactor or

combination of reactors would have the smallest volume to
a) achieve 50% conversion?
b) achieve 80% conversion?
C A

a) CSTR

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution

b) CSTR followed by a PFR

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W99Exam1,Part 1/Solution