A continuous methanol reactor could be described by the following reactions

a) Determine the extent of the reaction:

For the two reactions and determine the independent mass balances

for each reaction we find by looking at moles reacted from a reactant divided by its
coefficient:
1
end start
CO
CO CO
Coefficient

=
2
2 2
2
end start
CO
CO CO
Coefficient

=
Then we can use this to multiply by coefficient for any molecule in the reaction to find
change in mole for that component. We define at as negative remember that

Independent equations:
1 start CO end
CO Coefficient CO + = remember that is neg
1 2 start end
CO CO + =
2
2 2 2 start CO end
CO Coefficient CO + =
2 2 2
1
start end
CO CO + =
2
2 1 1 1 2 1 startrx H rx endrx
H Coefficient H + =
2 1 1 2 1
2
startrx endrx
H H + =
2
2 2 2 2 2 2 startrx H rx endrx
H Coefficient H + =
2 2 2 2 2
1
startrx endrx
H H + =
2 2
2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 startrx H rx startrx H rx endrx endrx
H Coefficient H Coefficient H H + + + = +




b) In the reactor we add
2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2
2 1
startrx startrx endrx endrx
H H H H + + + = +

Composed this way:

Determine the composition of the components when 70% of the added CO and CO
2
is
reacted to form methanol and it is 40 mol/s of water
My answer:

Amount of added H
2
O per second is 40 mol/s therefore
2
2 2
2
40
end start
CO
CO CO
Coefficient

= =
Total added CO and CO
2
is 700 mol/s. We know that 70 % is used in reaction that is we are left
with:
700 / 700 / 0.7 210 / mol s mol s mol s =
We know that we have 40 less of CO
2
. We get equation:
2 2 1
700 / 210 / mol s mol s + + = so we get
1
490 / mol s =


2 2
40
start end
CO CO =
2 2
40
start end
CO CO = +
2 2 1 2 2
210
start start end end
CO CO CO CO + + + + = =
1 2 2 2 2
40 210
end start d d e n n e
CO O CO CO C + + + + = + =
1 2 2
40
start end
CO CO + = + +
1
40
start end
CO CO + + =
450 7000 / 0.08 450 110 /
start end
CO CO mol s mol s = = =

110 /
end
CO mol s =


2 2
40
start end
CO CO = +
2 2
40 7000 / 0.02 40 100
start end
CO CO mol s = = =

2
100 /
end
CO mol s =
2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2
2 1
startrx startrx endrx endrx
H H H H + + + = +
2 , 2 1 2 2 1 2
7000 / 0.75 2 1 5250 / 980 40 4230
end tot endrx endrx
H H H mol s mol s = + = + + = =

2
40 / H O mol s =
4
7000 / 0.15 1050 / CH mol s mol s = =
3 1
490 / CH OH mol s = =




c) Determine the equation that describes the energy balance for the reactor. The stream in
has
0
160 C and the product has
0
270 C. The pressure is 90 bar. How much of the heat
must be subtracted from the reactor by cooling
My attempt:

ut inn
U H H W Q A = + + W=0 Q=0

ut inn
U H H A =
1 2 ,
1
n
ut inn rx rx i p i
x
H H H H n C T
=
= A + A + A

But because
rx
H A is given for 298K we choose this route:
, 1 2 ,
1 1
(25 160) (270 25)
n m
ut inn i p i rx rx j p j
x x
H H n C H H n C
= =
= +A + A +



For stream in:

,
1
(25 160)
n
i p i
x
n C
=

Gives


560 mol/s CO 140 mol/s CO
2
5250 mol/s H
2
1050 mol/s CH
4

( )( )
,
1
(25 160)
560 29 140 37 5250 29 1050 36 25 160 28548450
n
i p i
x
n C
J
=

= + + + =

1 rx
H A

2 3
2 CO H CH OH + =
1
490 / mol s =


( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
3 2
1
490 2
490 201 111 2 0 490 90 44100
rx f CH OH f CO f H
H H H H
kJ
A = A A + A
= + = =


2 rx
H A

2 2 2
CO H CO H O + = +
2
40 =

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
2 2 2
2
40
40 111 242 394 0 1640
rx f CO f H O f CO f H
H H H H H
kJ
A = A + A A + A
= + =


,
1
(270 25)
m
j p j
x
n C
=

We have stream out:
110 /
end
CO mol s =

2
100 /
end
CO mol s =

3
490 / CH OH mol s =

2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2
2 1
startrx startrx endrx endrx
H H H H + + + = +
2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2
2 1
startrx startrx endrx endrx
H H H H + + + = +
2
40 / H O mol s =

4
1050 / CH mol s =

( )( )
( )( )
2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 4 4
,
1
, , , , , ,
270 25
110 29 100 37 4230 29 490 44 40 34 1050 36 270 25 46618600
m
j p j
x
CO p CO CO p CO H p H CH OH p CH OH H O p H O CH p CH
n C T
n C n C n C n C n C n C
J
=
A
= + + + + +
= + + + + + =
=

Sum of Q:


28548.45 44100 1640 46618.6 24389.85 kJ kJ kJ kJ kJ + + =

d)

What will the composition of the product be if it is made 490 mol/s methanol and reaction
(2) is in equilibrium at
0
270 C and 90 bar and K=0.016 for reaction (2)

Stream inn:
:7000 / 0.08 560 / CO mol s mol s =
2
:7000 / 0.02 140 / CO mol s mol s =
2
:7000 / 0.75 5250 / H mol s mol s =
4
:7000 / 0.15 1050 / CH mol s mol s =
As the reaction goes we have equilibrium for (2):

It is made 490 mol/s methanol and the shift reaction has

We have at 270C K=0.0016

WGS does not give change i number of moles therefore n
tot
and p falls out in the expression for the
equilibrium constant. We have assumed ideal gas.

By method of trial and failure we find:


e) Calculate the equilibrium constant for (I) and compare the mol composition in d) with the
equilibrium for (I)

We can use formula





For comparison the real reaction quotient is

We compare with result in d)
For partial pressures in bar:


QUESTION: Why do they multiply with 90 to find partial pressure?
QUESTION: using K for either of reactions is just a theoretical question is it? I would have thought
from answers found in b) for composition which is the balance for the equations does not have to
be at equilibrium since it is affected by environments?


Q is a bit smaller then K that means there is a bit less methanol in the reaction then at equilibrium