BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE, PILANI–HYDERABAD CAMPUS

First Semester 2018-2019

Kinetics and Reactor Design (CHE F311)
Midsem Test (Regular, Closed Book)
Marks: 50 (25% weightage) Duration: 1.5 hrs
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1. For a chemical reaction A+B→C, the rate law is expressed as CA 4 1 1

(-rA )= k CAn CBm . Find the value of reaction order ‘n’ and ‘m’ from the CB 1 1 8
(-rA) 1 2 4
data given in the table.
(4)
2. Suppose you want to carry out a liquid phase irreversible isothermal reaction to obtain a
desired product (D) using a flow reactor. But it is unavoidable to eliminate unwanted side
product (U). Both the reactions and the corresponding rate details are as follows:

A  B  D  desired reaction  , rD  k1C1.5

A CB
1

A  B  U  undesired reaction  , rU  k2C A0.5 CB0.8

i) What types of flow reactor (CSTR/PFR) do you suggest to maximize the selectivity of ‘D’
for k1=k2=1. Give justification for your answer.
ii) Assume, the activation energy of the desired reaction and undesired reaction are 40
and 60 Kcal/mol respectively. If the reactor temperature is increased, the selectivity of ‘D’
will be increased/ decreased/ unchanged? Give justification. (3+3=6)

3. Following mechanism has been proposed for the gas phase formation of HI from H 2 and I2.

I 2 
k1
 2I step  1
2 I  H 2 
k2
 2 HI step  2
I  I 
k3
 I2 step  3
i) Derive the kinetic rate expression for HI formation.
ii) Find the order with respect to H2 and I2 from the rate expression of HI formation for
the following scenarios mentioned in the table. Write your answer in tabular form.
(4+4=8)
Order w.r.t. I2 Order w.r.t. H2
high conc. of I2 low conc. of I2 high conc. of H2 low conc. of H2

4. Suppose you want to treat a liquid feed at a rate of 10 lit/min. The feed contains 1 mol/lit
of reactant ‘A’, and you want to reduce its concentration to 0.1 mol/lit. The kinetics of the
CA
reaction is (-rA )= mol / (lit.min) . If the treatment is carried out using two CSTRs,
0.1  C A
 then i) find the volume of each CSTR and, ii) suggest a good arrangement for doing this
operation. (8+2=10)

5. A first-order gas phase reaction A→ 3P is conducted isothermally at constant pressure in

a plug flow reactor of 5 lit volumes. The feed contains 50% A (mole basis) and 50% inert.
The inlet volumetric flow rate is 1 lit/min and the inlet concentration of ‘A’ is 2 mol/lit.
(a) If the exit concentration of ‘A’ is 0.5 mol/lit, then what is the rate constant value?
(b) What will the final conversion of ‘A’ if the plug flow reactor is replaced by a mixed flow
reactor of 3 lit volumes? (6+4=10)

6. Consider a liquid phase reaction A→B, where the reaction rate is given by

k1C A
(-rA )= mol / (lit.s) . The reaction is conducted at isothermal conditions and the
1  k2C A2
inlet concentration of A is 1 mol/lit. The value of k1= 0.01s-1 and k2 = 30 lit2 mol-2. The
inlet volumetric flow rate is 10 lit s-1. We want to convert 95% of A. Determine the volume
of the reactor, if the reaction is to be conducted in a (i) CSTR (ii) Recycle reactor with a
recycle ratio of 1. (5+7=12)
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