FACULTY OF CHEMICAL & NATURAL RESOURCES ENGINEERING

PRETEST

COURSE

UNIT OPERATION LABORATORY

COURSE CODE

BKF3731

LECTURER

FATMAWATI ADAM
IZIRWAN IZHAB
MOHD NAJIB RAZALI
MOHD ZULKIFLI MOHAMAD NOOR
NOOR SABRINA AHMAD MUTAMIM
SAIFUL NIZAM HASSAN
SHALYDA BINTI MD SHAARI
SITI KHOLIJAH ABDUL MUDALIP
SUNARTI ABD RAHMAN
ZATUL IFFAH MOHD ARSHAD

SESSION/SEMESTER

SESSION 2015/2016 SEMESTER II

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATE:
Answer all the questions. Submit the answer of each experiment
according to the experiment week to your instructor before start each
of the experiments.

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 1

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name

ID Number

Group

QUESTION 1 (Crystallization)
a) The Van Hoff plot of Epsom salt in ethanol at 298, 308 and 318 K is y = -6860.4x +
15.154. Find the entropy S and enthalpy from this set of crystallisation data of Epsom
salt in ethanol solvent using Van Hoff plot.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(7 Marks)
b) List TWO (2) effect of crystal solid shape in chemical engineering application.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(3 Marks)

c) Arrange the steps of crystallisation process which begins from the solution until the
solid crystal form.
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 2

Crystallisation Solubility Nucleation Supersaturation Undersaturation

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(10 Marks)

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 3

Name

ID Number

Group

QUESTION 2 (Thin Film Evaporator)

a

Describe the concept of thin film evaporator unit. Provide ONE (1) EXAMPLE of
thin film evaporator in industrial process.

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)
b

A single-effect thin film evaporator concentrates 9072 kg/h of sucrose solution (RI =
1.3346) entering at 311 K to a final concentration of sucrose (RI = 1.3353). The vapor
pressure of the evaporator is 101.325 kPa. The data for sucrose concentration with the
respective refractive index is shown in Table 1. Calculate the amount of vapor and
liquid product.
(Hint: Feed = Liquid + Vapor; FXF = LXL; XF is the feed concentration % (w/w) of sucrose;
XL

is the final concentration % (w/w) of sucrose as concentrate).

Table 1: The refractive index at respective sucrose concentration

Sucrose concentration
% (w/w)
0
1
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab
2
3
4

Refractive
Index
1.3333
1.3345
1.3359
1.3374
1.3388

Page 4

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 5

(10 Marks)

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 6

Explain the effect of increasing the vacuum pressure on temperature, flow rate and
the refractive index of distillate (vapor) and bottom (liquid) products in a thin film
evaporator.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(5 Marks)

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 7

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name

ID Number

Group

QUESTION 3 (Short Path Distillation)

a) Briefly discuss the concept of short path distillation?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

(4 Marks)
b) Provide TWO (2) examples of short path distillation in industry.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
(3 Marks)
c) Describe the experimental method for short path distillation system.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
(8 Marks)

d) List the shutdown procedures for short path distillation unit.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 8

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

(5 Marks)

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

ID Number

Group
Page 9

QUESTION 4 (Sieve Tray Distillation)

a)

Draw the distillation unit block diagram when operated in total reflux condition.
Demonstrate the theoretically mass and energy balance for the system.
(6 Marks)

b)

Explain the function of measuring device refractometer during sieve tray distillation
experiment.

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 10

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(2 Marks)
c)

Describe the effects of having high reboiler power to the process in sieve tray distillation
experiment.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(2 Marks)

d)

Discuss on how the value of HETP can be used to evaluate the efficiency of a
fractionating column.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(2 Marks)

e)

Shown in table below are the data for the experiment. Complete the table with values for
mole fraction and HETP values. Show your calculation.
Column Height (mm)
Refractive Index pure ethanol

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

1000
1.3621

Page 11

Refractive Index pure water

Refractive Index mixture
Heater
Power
(kW)

Distillate
Refractive
Index

Mole
Fraction

1.3317
1.3575
Bottoms

Refractive
Index

Number
of trays

HETP
(mm)

Mole
Fraction

2.0

1.3582

1.3382

3.0

1.3550

1.3372

10

4.0

1.3426

1.3371

12

(18 Marks)

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

ID Number

Group

Page 12

QUESTION 5 (Solid Liquid Extractor Unit)

a) Briefly explain the process flow of the Solid Liquid Extraction experiment unit.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(5 Marks)
b) Is there any effect of solid-liquid extraction efficiency when less amount of water at low
temperature condition is used.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(3 Marks)

c) Is the solubility important for a short-period solid-liquid extraction of various sea salts?
State THREE (3) solubility criteria/character to affect a higher yield of extraction
process. List EIGHT (8) examples of soluble salts.
.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 13

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(12 Marks)

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

ID Number

Group

Page 14

QUESTION 6 (Absorption Column Unit)

a) Briefly describe the principle of absorption column.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)

b) Explain the role of packed materials used in absorption column for gas absorption.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)
c) The packed material employed in this experiment is Raschig rings or ceramic Intalox
saddle. The packed material employed in this experiment is Raschig rings or ceramic
Intalox saddle. Explain the effect of changing the packed materials on column efficiency
and operation.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)
d) What is flooding point?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)
e) List 2 precautions before handling packed absorption column.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 15

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)

SECTION/LECTURER: ______________
Name

ID Number

Group

QUESTION 7 (Pressure Swing Adsorption)

a) Briefly explain the concept of pressure swing adsorption unit. Provide an example of
solid adsorbent and typical industrial process that use this technology.
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 16

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(5 Marks)
b) Figure 1 illustrates a breakthrough curve of oxygen adsorption in pressure swing
adsorption system which field with carbon molecular sieve. Provide explanation of
oxygen adsorption in the system based on the curve.

Concentration ratio, c/co

0.05

Time, t

Figure 1: Breakthrough concentration curve

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 17

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)
c) State TWO (2) factors that affect the adsorption efficiency in PSA.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(2 Marks)

d) Briefly discuss the oxygen and nitrogen hazard during handling PSA
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(4 Marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

Pretest BKF 3731Unit Operation Lab

Page 18