CL324: Chemical Reaction Engineering

Tutorial Set 2

1
R, CA0 = 48 mol/m3 ) passes in steady ow through four equal-size mixed ow
1. Reactant A (A !
reactors in series (total = 2 min). At steady state, the CA = 12, 5, 3, 2 mol/m3 in the four units.
k

(a) First derive the balance for a CSTR. Then determine the rate expression for the reaction.
(b) For this reaction, what must be PFR to reduce CA from CA0 = 48 mol/m3 to CAf = 2
mol/m3 ?
rAi = (CA;i 1
CAi )=i . CA0 = 18. CA1 = 12 ) rA1 =
12)=0:5 = 72. CA2 = 5 ) rA2 = (12 5)=0:5 = 14. CA3 = 3 ) rA3 = (5 3)=0:5 = 4.
2.
CA4 = 2 ) rA4 = (3 2)=0:5 = 2. n = ln(72=2)= ln(12=2) = 2, k = 0:5, ) rA = 0:5CA

Soln: i = total =4 = 0:5.

(48

XA

CA0

CA

dCA
rA

=2

CA0

CA

dCA
2
CA

C
 A0

CA CA

=2

CA

CA0

2
CA0

1
XA

1 =

2XA

CA0 (1

XA )

= 46=48 )  = 46=48 sec

2. A rst order irreversible liquid reaction is taking place in a PFR such that a conversion of 0.66 is
obtained. Determine the Damkohler number (k ). If a recycle stream R = 4 is added, Xnal =?
Soln: XAf = 0:54

3. An elementary gas phase reaction A!B + C is to be carried out in an isothermal tubular reactor
with product recycle. 75% of the stream exiting the reactor is recycled back to mix with the
incoming fresh feed (i.e., recycle ratio of 3). The tubular reactor as such behaves as an ideal PFR
for the combined feed that it processes. The reaction mixture follows ideal gas law. 50% of A in
the fresh feed has to be converted. Feed has 50% by volume A and the balance as an inert gas, I,
which does not participate in the reaction. The rate constant, k=0.1sec 1 .
(a) First draw a clear schematic. Fresh feed rate of A is FA0 . What are the inputs to the system?
How much of fresh A has reacted? What are the Output Products? What are the recycled
amounts? What is the combined input to the PFR?
(b) For a rst order gas phase reaction to be carried out in an isothermal PFR, where the reaction
mixture follows ideal gas law, prove that k = (1 + "A ) ln(1 XA ) + "A XA . This is the
relationship for the balance between the inlet and the outlet of the PFR. Here,  and XA are
the modied space time and conversion, specic to this balance immediately about the PFR.
0

(c) What is the number of moles at the PFR inlet? What would be the number of moles at the
PFR outlet, if all the entering A is consumed (i.e., XA = 1)? Thus, determine "A , about the
PFR ONLY.
0

(d) What is the actual modied conversion, XA , in the PFR. Therefore, modied space time,
 =?
0

(e) What is the volumetric ow rate, v0 , at the inlet of the PFR, in terms of FA0 ? Therefore,
what is the volume, V , of the PFR in terms of FA0 ?
4. The following series-parallel reactions are carried out in a batch reactor in which there is pure A
k1
k2
k3
initially. A !
B , B ! C , B ! D.
(a) CA (t) =?, CB (t) =?, k1 = 0:001/s at 1.5 min, CA =CA0 =?
(b) If k2 = 0:003/s, k3 = 0:002/s, CA0 = 0:2 mol/dm3 , CB (t = 2min)=?, Cc (t = 1min)=?,
Cc (t = 2min)=?
(c) Sketch the concentrations and overall selectivity SD=C as functions of time. At what time is
CB = CB;max ?
(d) Derive an expression for CB;max as a function of kinetic parameters and CA0 . Also, derive an
expression for time to reach CB;max .
(e) Determine the CSTR volume that will maximize B production, for volumetric ow rate = 20
lit/min.

c SBN, 2016, IIT Bombay

CL324: Chemical Reaction Engineering

Tutorial Set 2

k1

*B
5. Consider elementary reactions A )
k2

! C and A + B !4 D.

k3

(a) Write the expression for the yield B w.r.t. all other species including A. Then write the
resulting expressions for the limiting cases of high and low conversions of A, i.e. small CA
and small CB , respectively.
(b) From the answers in part (i), determine which of PFR or CSTR, will yield a higher B .
(c) From the answer in part (i), if k4 is large, determine whether adding an inert will improve
B .
(d) What is the volumetric ow rate, v0 , to the entire system, in terms of FA0 ? Therefore, what
is the GHSV to the system, whose volume is V ?

c SBN, 2016, IIT Bombay