FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY
CODE: CT 206

SESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019

DURATION: 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS

Answer Question 1 and any other 3 Questions. Each question carries

25 marks.

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 QUESTION 1

(a) Below is a flow diagram for amine treatment. What information can be obtained from this

diagram? [10 marks]

Figure 1: Amine treatment flowsheet

(b) Describe what is meant by ‘break-even point’ in production [5 marks]

(c) A 100 L fish tank contains water with an initial salt concentration of 2%. A final

concentration of 3.5% is required. Calculate the amount of dry salt that needs to be added to

achieve this final concentration. Assume the process is a batch process. [10 marks]

QUESTION 2

(a) With the aid of illustrations, describe the mechanisms by which heat is transferred via

conduction. [10 marks]

(b) Figure 2 below is an illustration of a heat exchanger used in sugar processing.

i. Describe the theory and principle of operation of the heat exchanger.

[9 marks]

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 ii. Examine the role played by choice of tube material in the performance of heat

exchangers. [6 marks]

Figure 2: Heat exchanger used in sugar processing.

QUESTION 3

(a) Using a practical industrial example, distinguish between absorption and adsorption

separation techniques. [10 marks]

(b) Describe the principle of operation, strengths and weaknesses of mechanical draft cooling

towers. [15 marks]

QUESTION 4

(a) A radiator has water at 300 K flowing over one side of a metallic plate of 1x2 m area,

maintained at 400 K. Given that convection heat transfer coefficient is 200 W/mK, calculate

the rate of heat transfer by convection from the plate to the water. [5 marks]

(b) Water from the Dead Sea contains about 30 % salt. A water reclamation project seeks to

reduce this amount to 5 % salt by diluting with pure water.

i. Construct a flowchart and calculate the input and output ratios. [ 9 marks]

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 ii. Determine the feed rates of sea water and pure water needed to produce an output of

1000 kg/min. [4 marks]

iii. Suggest a reactor which can be used for dilution of salt water, highlighting its pros

and cons. [7 marks]

QUESTION 5

(a) Discuss the five main factors affecting the industrial costs. [10 marks]

(c) A 1 mm wide copper plate is sandwiched between two epoxy boards, each 5 mm wide.

The thermal conductivities are 386 W/m°C for copper plates and k = 0.26 W/m°C for epoxy

boards. The contact conductance at the interface of copper-epoxy layers is given to be hc =

6000 W/m2C.

i. Determine the total thermal resistance per unit area. [8 marks]

ii. Assuming the thermal contact resistance is ignored, what is the % error in the total

thermal resistance? [2 marks]

(c) With the aid of an illustration, explain what is meant by Break-even forecasting.

[5 marks]

END OF QUESTION PAPER