College of Applied

Sciences-Sohar
Department of Engineering
CHEN3155 Chemical Reaction Engineering Test 2, March 2016

Date: xx-04-2016 Time: 1 hour Number of Pages: 04

Section: . Student I.D: .

Student Name: Solution

General Instructions:
The Maximum Marks for this Test 1 is 15
Set out your Work Properly. Be Clear, Neat and Concise
If needed, Rough Work may be done in the back side of the Sheet. Rough Work will not be Graded
Turn-off all GSMs
Use the Calculator in case of Need
Do not Talk during the Test without Permission from the Invigilator
Handover Answer Sheets to Invigilator at the end of Test

Marks
Part Questions Marks Scored Marks-in words
Allotted
1 1-5 5
II 6-7 10

Total 15

Performance Indicator
e1 e2

Question Number 1-5 6&7

Grade

Examiner : Dr. Ibrahim Dubdub Signature:

Reviewer :
Signature:

Part I (5x1= 5 Marks) Mixed Questions

1. Is Da always indicative of certain conversion?

2. Why can't you write the membrane equations in terms of conversion X?

Answer:

There are many instances when it is much more convenient to work in

terms of number of moles (NA , NB) or molar flow rates (FA, FB , etc.)
rather than conversion.
Membrane reactors & multiple reactions taking place in gas phase are
two such cases where molar flow rates are preferred rather than
conversion.

3. Explain this graph according to the parameters inovled.

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4. Microreactors are characterized by their:

i. low surface area to weight ratios

ii. high surface area to volume ratios
iii. low cross section area to weight ratios

5. Membrane reactors can be used to increase conversion when the

reaction is thermodynamically limited as well as to increase the
selectivity when multiple reactions are occurring. How?

Answer:

Thermodynamically limited reactions are reactions where the equilibrium lies

far to the left (i.e., reactant side) & there is little conversion.

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 Part II (2x5=10 Marks) Calculations
6- The formation of diphenyl is to be carried out at 760C. The feed is to be pure benzene in the
gas phase at a total pressure of 5 atm and 760C. The specific reaction rate is 1800 ft 3/(lbmol.s) and
the concentration equilibrium constant is 0.3.
a. What is the equilibrium conversion? (1.5 Marks)

b. Calculate the reactor volume of CSTR necessary to achieve 98% of the equilibrium
conversion of benzene in part a, with a benzene feed of 10 lbmol/min. (1.5 Marks)
c. If the activation energy is 30,202 Btu/lbmol, what is the ratio of the initial rate of reaction
(i.e., X = 0) at 1400F to that at 800F? (2 Marks)

2 A B+C
Additional information: Elementary Reaction:

R = 0.73 ft3.atm/lbmol.oR = 1.987 btu/ lbmol.oR

Solution

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7- Q-2 CDP6-28B CD new OLD version P4-28 (10 Marks)

Ethyl acetate is an extensively used solvent and can be formed by the vapor-phase
esterification of acetic acid and ethanol. The reaction was studied using a microporous
resin as a catalyst in a packed bed reactor. The reaction is first-order in ethanol. For an
equal molar feed rate of acetic acid and ethanol, the specific reaction rate is 1.2 dm 3/
g cat / min. The total molar feed rate is 10 mol/min, the initial pressure is 10 atm, the
temperature is 118 C, and the pressure drop parameter, , equals 0.01 g-1.

A. Calculate the maximum weight of catalyst that one could use and maintain an
exit pressure above 1 atm. Assume isothermal and = 0.

B. Determine the catalyst weight necessary to achieve 90% conversion.

Additional information: R = 0.082 atm dm3/mol.K, Assume isothermal and = 0.

Answer

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