Problem 9.

6
Dado, John Aldus
De leon, Niel
Evidente, Ralph Carlo
Evora, Micaella Francesca
You are operating a batch reactor and the reaction is first-
order, liquid-phase, and exothermic. An inert coolant is added
to the reaction mixture to control the temperature. The
temperature is kept constant by varying the flow rate of the
coolant.
a. Calculate the flow rate of the coolant 2 h
after the start of the reaction.
b. It is proposed that rather than feeding a
coolant to the reactor, a solvent be added
that can be easily boiled off, even at
moderate temperatures. The solvent has a
heat of vaporization of 1000 Btu/lbm and
initially there are 25 lb mol of A placed in
the tank. The initial volume of solvent and
reactant is 300 ft 3 . Determine the solvent
evaporation rate as a function of time.
What is the rate at the end of 2 h?
Additional Information
Temperature of reaction: 100
Value of k at 100 : 1.2 x 104 /s
Temperature of coolant: 80
Heat capacity of all components: 0.5 Btu/lb
Density of all components: 50 lb/ft 3
HRx : -25000 Btu/lb-mol
Initially:
Vessel contains only A (no B or C present)
CAo = 0.5 lb-mol/ft 3
Initial volume = 50 ft 3
Given

lbm NAo = CAo Vo

CAo = 0.5 3 lbm
ft NAo = (0.5 3 )( 50 ft 3 )
Vo = 50 ft 3 ft
lbm
NAo = 25
M
Derivation
Rate of reaction: -rA = kCA Integrating both sides:
dCA dNA
-rA = = NA
1 t
dt Vdt
dNA dNA = kdt
kCA = - NAo NA 0
Vdt
dNA NA
kCA = - ln = kt
dt
dNA NAo
kNA = -
dt NA = NAo ekt
a. Calculate the flow rate of the coolant 2 h
after the start of the reaction.
+ ( )( )
=


Constant temp: = 0 , = 0 , = 0

+ ( )( )
0=

= ( )( )
= ( )(kNA )

( )(NAo ekt )
= (1)

Substituting the given values to equation 1

( )(NAo ekt )
=

lbm (1.2 x 1041 )(2)(3600
4 1 )
25,000 [(1.2 x 10 )(25 M )

=

0.5 (100 80)


= 3.16

b. It is proposed that rather than feeding a coolant to the reactor, a solvent be
added that can be easily boiled off, even at moderate temperatures. The solvent has
a heat of vaporization of 1000 Btu/lbm and initially there are 25 lb mol of A placed in
the tank. The initial volume of solvent and reactant is 300 ft 3 . Determine the solvent
evaporation rate as a function of time. What is the rate at the end of 2 h?

dT Q Ws Fs a + (Hrx )(rA V)
=
dt Ni Cpi

Constant temp: = 0 , = 0 , = 0

Fs a + (Hrx )(rA V)
0=
Ni Cpi
Fs a = (Hrx )(kNA )

(Hrx )(kNAo ekt )

Fs = (2)
a
Substituting the given values to equation 2

(Hrx )(kNAo ekt )

Fs =
a

Btu lb s
1.2 x 104 s1 2h 3600
25,000 [ 1.2 x 104 s 1 25 Mm e hr ]
lbm
Fs =
Btu
1000
lbm
lb mol
Fs = 0.0316
s