Term End Examination - November 2013

Course : MEE379 - Reaction Engineering Slot: B1+TB1

Class NBR : 3542

Time : Three Hours Max.Marks:100

PART A (10 X 4 = 40 Marks)
Answer ALL Questions

1. On doubling the concentration of reactant, the rate of reaction triples. Find the reaction
order
2. Phosphine decomposes when heated according to the following reaction:
4PH3 (g) P4 (g) + 6H2 (g).
At a given instant, the rate at which phosphine decomposes is 2.4 x 10-3 mol/(lit-s). What
is the rate of formation of (i) P4 and (ii) H2?
3. The pyrolysis of ethane proceeds with an activation energy of about 75000 cal. How
much faster is the decomposition at 650C than at 500C?
4. Derive the rate law (performance equation) for an irreversible bimolecular-type second
order reaction occurring in a constant volume batch reactor?
5. Decomposition of a gas is second order. When the initial concentration of gas is
5 x 10-4 mol/lit, it is 40% decomposed in 50 min. Calculate the value of rate constant.
6. Derive the design equation of a steady state PFR.

7. Consider the reactor set up shown below consisting of three plug flow reactors in two
parallel branches:

Branch D
V=50 lit
V=50 V=30
V=30 lit
lit lit
V=40 lit

Branch E
Branch D has a reactor of volume 50 liters followed by a reactor of volume 30 liters.
Branch E has a reactor of volume 40 liters. What fraction of feed should go to branch D?

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8. What reaction schemes and conditions would you use to have maximum concentration
of R for the following parallel reactions?
A+B R (desired) rR=15 . e-273/T. CA0.5CB
A+B S (undesired) rS=200. e-2000/T. CACB
9. Consider the set of reactions:
A+B R and R+B S
Assume the reactions are irreversible, bimolecular and of constant density. State the rate
expressions rA, rB, rR, rS.
10. Draw the ignition-extinction curve and explain it.

PART B (5 X 12 = 60 Marks)
Answer any FIVE Questions
11. The rule of thumb is that the rate of reaction doubles for a 10C increase in temperature
occurs only at a specific temperature for a given activation energy (i.e. for specific
combination of temperature and activation energy). Show that the relationship between
activation energy and temperature for which the rule holds is:
1/ 2
10( K ) E
T =
R ln 2

12. The reaction between nitric oxide and oxygen:

2NO+O2 2NO2
follows the rate law:
dO2
= k[ NO ]2 [O2 ]
dt
Suggest a rate mechanism which is consistent with this rate law.
13. In a gaseous reaction, the half-lives (t1/2) for the various initial partial pressures (p) of
the reactant was given as follows:
pA0(torr) 200 300 400
t1/2 (min) 150 99.8 75.3
Find the order of the reaction.
14. A zero-order homogeneous gaseous reaction A rR takes place in a constant volume
reactor, P=1 atm when t=0 and P=1.5 atm when t=1 min. If the same reaction , same
feed composition and initial pressure takes place in a constant-pressure apparatus, find
V at t=1 min if V=1lit at t=0.

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15. A first order reaction is to be carried out in a series of two mixed reactors. Show that the
total volume of the two reactors is minimum when the reactors are of equal size.
16. The kinetics of the liquid phase decomposition of A is studied in two mixedflow
reactors in series, the second unit having twice the volume of the first one. At steady-
state with a feed containing 1 mol A/lit (i.e. of CA0 = 1 mol/lit) and mean residence time
of 96 seconds in the first reactor , the concentration of A in the first reactor is 0.5 mol/lit
and in the second reactor is 0.25 mol/lit. Find the kinetic equation for the decomposition
of A.
17. In a reactive environment, reactant A decomposes as follows:
k1 k2
A R S
where k1 = 0.1 (min)-1 and k2 = 0.1 (min)-1.
R is to be produced from 1000 lit/h of feed (CA0=1 mol/lit, CR0 = CS0 =0).
i) What size of PFR will maximize the concentration of R?
ii) What size of CSTR will maximize the concentration of R?
iii) What is CR,max in the effluent stream from each of these reactors?
18. Write short notes on multiplicity of steady states in a nonisothermal CSTR.

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