ChE 210: Example Problem 4.

60

02/11/2013

Problem Statement: Methanol is synthesized from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a

catalytic reactor. The fresh feed to the process contains 32.0 mol% CO, 64.0 mol% H2, and 4.0
mol% N2. This stream is mixed with a recycle stream in a ratio 5 mol recycle/1 mol fresh feed to
produce the feed to the reactor, which contains 13.0 mol% N2. A low single-pass conversion is
attained in the reactor. The reactor effluent goes to a condenser from which two streams
emerge: a liquid product stream containing essentially all the methanol formed in the reactor,
and a gas stream containing all the CO, H2, and N2 leaving the reactor. The gas stream is split
in two fractions: one is removed from the process as a purge stream, and the other is the
recycle stream that combines with the fresh feed to the reactor.
Step 1: Write down any reactions taking place.
CO + 2H2 CH3OH

mol CO/h

Step 2: Draw and label the process flow diagram.

n5 =
y CO,5 =
yH2,5 =
yN2,5 =
y CH3OH,5 =0

n1 = 100 mol / h

n2 =

y CO,1 =0.320

Recycle (5)

n3 =

n4 =

n6 =

y CO,2 =

y CO,3 =

y CO,4 =

y CO,6 =

yH2,1 =0.640

yH2,2 =

yH2,3 =

yH2,4 =

yH2,6 =

yN2,1 =0.040

yN2,2 =0.130

yN2,3 =

yN2,4 =

yN2,6 =

y CH3OH,1 =0
Fresh
Feed (1)

y CH3OH,2 =0
Reactor
Feed (2)

y CH3OH,4 =0
Gas
Stream (4)

y CH3OH,6 =0
Gas
Product (6)

Reactor

y CH3OH,3 =
Reactor
Effluent (3)

Condenser

nCH3OH,7 =
Liquid
Product (7)

Step 3: Identify any process specifications and write equations in terms of the variables on the
process flow diagram.

n
5 mol recycle
= 5 5n 1 = n 5
1mol fresh feed n 1

ChE 210: Example Problem 4.60

02/11/2013

Step 4: Identify the variables to solve for.

n CH3OH,7
Find: fsp,CO =

n 6

y CO,6

yH2,6

yN2,6

y CO,2n 2 y CO,3n 3
y CO,2n 2

fOverall,CO =

y CO,1n 1 y CO,6n 6
y CO,1n 1

Step 5: Choose to work with atomic balances or extent of reaction balances.

Step 6 (atomic): Complete a degree of freedom analysis.
Overall:

5 unknowns (! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )

3 atom balances (C H N)
1 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
1 D of F

Mixing:

7 unknowns (! !",! !!,! ! !",! !!,! !!,! )

3 molecular balances (CO H2 N2)
2 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! = 0.87; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
1 process specifications (5! = ! )
_______________________________________
1 D of F

Reactor:

8 unknowns (! !",! !!,! ! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )

3 atom balances (C H N)
2 physical constraints (!",! + !!,! = 0.87; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
3 D of F

Condenser: 10 unknowns (! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! ! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )
4 molecular balances (CO H2 N2 CH3OH)
2 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
4 D of F

ChE 210: Example Problem 4.60

02/11/2013

Step 7 (atomic): Write all of the equations for the selected subsystem.
Overall
C:

!",! ! !",! ! !"!!",! = 0

H:

2!!,! ! 2!!,! ! 4!"!!",! = 0

O:

!",! ! !",! ! !"!!",! = 0

N:

2!!,! ! 2!!,! ! = 0

PC:

!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1

Mixing
CO:

!",! ! + !",! ! !",! ! = 0

H 2:

!!,! ! + !!,! ! !!,! ! = 0

N 2:

!!,! ! + !!,! ! !!,! ! = 0

Total:

! + ! ! = 0

PC:

!",! + !!,! = 0.87

!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1

PS:

5! = !

Step 8 (atomic): Identify a solution strategy, and update the degree of freedom analysis to
account for all variables that can be solved for.
Step 9 (atomic): Select a new subsystem and write equations to solve.
Condenser
CO:

!",! ! !",! ! = 0

H 2:

!!,! ! !!,! ! = 0

N 2:

!!,! ! !!,! ! = 0

CH3OH: !"!!",! ! !"!!",! = 0

Total:

! ! !"!!",! = 0

PC:

!",! + !!,! = 0.87

ChE 210: Example Problem 4.60

02/11/2013

Step 10 (atomic): Solve

! = 500 /
! = 600 /
!!,! = 0.148
! = 27.03 /
!"!!",! = 24.33 /
!!,! = 0.568
!",! = 0.284
!",! = 0.291
!",! ! = 149.68 /
!",!" = 0.143
!"#$%&&,!" = 0.760

ChE 210: Example Problem 4.60

02/11/2013

Step 6 (extent): Define units for

Step 7 (extent): Complete a degree of freedom analysis.
Overall:

6 unknowns (! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )

4 molecular balances (CO H2 N2 CH3OH)
1 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
1 D of F

Mixing:

7 unknowns (! !",! !!,! ! !",! !!,! !!,! )

3 molecular balances (CO H2 N2)
2 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! = 0.87; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
1 process specifications (5! = ! )
_______________________________________
1 D of F

Reactor:

9 unknowns (! !",! !!,! ! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )

4 molecular balances (CO H2 N2 CH3OH)
2 physical constraints (!",! + !!,! = 0.87; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
3 D of F

Condenser: 10 unknowns (! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! ! !",! !!,! !!,! !"!!",! )
4 molecular balances (CO H2 N2 CH3OH)
2 physical constraint (!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1; !",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1)
0 process specifications
_______________________________________
4 D of F

ChE 210: Example Problem 4.60

02/11/2013

Step 8 (extent): Write all of the equations for the selected subsystem.
Overall
CO:

!",! ! !",! ! = 0

H 2:

!!,! ! !!,! ! 2 = 0

N 2:

!!,! ! !!,! ! = 0

CH3OH:!"!!",! + = 0
PC:

!",! + !!,! + !!,! = 1

Mixing
*Identical to equations on page 3.
Step 9 (extent): Identify a solution strategy, and update the degree of freedom analysis to
account for all variables that can be solved for.
Step 10 (extent): Select a new subsystem and write equations to solve.
*Identical to equations on page 3.
*Solutions are the same as for the atomic balances on page 4.