4.

12 The production of carbon disulfide from methane and sulfur vapor can be carried out homogeneously or with a sold catalyst. Also, some solid materials act as poison, retarding the reaction. The following data were obtained on a flow basis at a constant temperature of 625C and with an initial reactants ratio of 1 mole of CH4 to 2 moles of sulfur vapor (considered as S2). The first set of data was obtained with the reactor empty (effective volume 67.0 cm3), and the second set was obtained the packing the reactor with a granular material (7 mesh) which reduced the void volume to 362 cm3.

Set 1

Run 1 2 3 1 2

Feed rate, gmol/h CH4 S2 0.417 0.834 0.238 0.476 0.119 0.238 0.119 0.238 0.178 0.357

Production of CS2, gmol/h 0.0531 0.0391 0.0312 0.0204 0.0220

Conversion of methane 0.127 0.164 0.262 0.171 0.123

Was the granular material acting as a catalyst or as a poison in this case? 5.19 Pure gaseous A at about 3atm and 30C (120 mmol/liter) is fed into a 1 liter mixed flow reactor at various flow rates. There it decomposes, and the exit concentration of A is measured for each flow rate. From the following data find a rate equation to represent the kinetics of the decomposition of A. Assume that reactant A alone affects the rate. vo, liter/min CA, mmol/liter 0.06 30 0.48 60 1.5 80 8.1 105

5.25 The aqueous decomposition of A is studied in an experimental mixed flow reactor. The results in Table P5.25 are obtained in steady-state runs. To obtain 75% conversion of reactant in a feed, CA0=0.8 mol/liter, what holding time is needed in a plug flow reactor? Concentration of A, mol/liter In Feed 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.00 1.00 0.48 0.48 0.48 Holding Time. see In Exit Stream 0.65 0.92 1.00 0.56 0.37 0.42 0.28 0.20 300 240 250 110 360 24 200 560

6.20 Reactant A decomposes with stoichiometry A-> R and with rate dependent only on CA. The following data on this aqueous decomposition are obtained in a mixed flow reactor: T, sec 14 25 29 30 29 27 24 19 15 12 20 CA0 200 190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 110 101 CA 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 1

Determine which setup, plug flow, mixed flow, or any two-reactor combination gives minimum T for 90% conversion of a feed consisting of CA0=100. Also find this T minimum. If a two-reactor scheme is found to be optimum, give CA between stages and T for each stage. 4.6 Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a plasticizer, has a potential market of 12 million lb/yr (AIChE Student Contest Problem) and is to be produced by reaction of n-butanol with monobutyl phthalate (MBP). The reaction follows an elementary rate law and is catalyzed by H2SO4 (Figure P4-6). A stream containing the stream enters the reactor. The concentration of MBP in the stream entering the reactor is 0.2 lbmol/ft3, and the molar feed rate of butanol is five times that of MBP. The specific reaction rate at 100F is 1.2 ft3/lbmol.h. There is a 1000 gallon CSTR and associated peripheral equipment available for use in this project for 30 days a year (operating 24 h/day) a) Determine the exit conversion in the available 1000 gallon reactor if you were to produce 33% os the share (i.e., 4 million lb/yr) of the predicted market. (Ans.: X=0.33) b) How might you increase the conversion for the same FAO? For example, what conversion would be achieved if a second 1000-gal CSTR were placed either in series or in parallel with the CSTR? (X2= 0.55 (series)) c) For the same temperature as part a), what CSTR volume would be necessary to achieve a conversion of 85% for a molar feed rate of MBP of 1 lbmol/min? d) If possible, calculate the tubular reactor volume necessary to achieve 85% conversion, when the reactor is oblong rather than cylindrical, with a major-to-minor axis ratio of 1.3:1.0. There are no radial gradients in either concentration or velocity. If it is not possible to calculate V and explain. e) How would your results for parts a) and b) change if the temperatures were raised to 150F where k is now 5.0 ft3/lbmol.h but the reaction is reversible with KC=0.3?