CHE502: REACTION ENGINEERING 1

ASSIGNMENT
SELECTED INDUSTRIAL REACTOR DESCRIPTION
The apparent consumption of ethylene glycol was 24 million tons in 2001, and it reached more than
100 million tons in 2011. This rapid growth of ethylene glycol production is due to its widespread
application as an antifreeze, mainly for commercial purposes, as well as raw material in the production of
polyester fibers and plastics.Ethylene glycol was produced via a catalytic reaction of ethylene oxide
hydrolysis. An experiment to determine the reaction rate constant,k (at 55oC) was carried out at initial
concentration of ethylene oxide of 2 mol/L. The data obtained from this experiment is tabulated in the
following table:
Time(min)
0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
3.0
4.0
6.0
10.0

Ethylene Glycol Concentration

(kmol/m3)
0
0.145
0.270
0.376
0.467
0.610
0.715
0.848
0.957

You (and your team) works as a chemical engineer in Frodo Engineering who is in charge of
adiabatic CSTR producing ethylene glycol. Unfortunately, this reactor is beginning to leak and you must
replace it. However, there is another CSTR of 1m3 capacity standing idle and you would like to use it. A
16 mol/L solution of ethylene oxide at molar flowrate of 1600 kmol/s is fed to the reactor together with an
equal volumetric solution of water. The feed streams enter at To (oC). The information needed are
provided below:
Parameters
o
HRX
Activation energy

-37.669 kJ/mol
79.046 kJ/mol

In order to evaluate the maximum conversion obtainable using the idle reactor, the inlet feed
temperature is manipulated to (30oC,35oC, 40oC, 45oC, 50oC)*. Plot the conversion as a function of
o
o
temperature (in Kelvin) in the range of 25 C to 227 C.
In designing the reactor, you should take into consideration the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Process Background
Reactor Selection
Kinetics
Safety
Detail Design

Finally, recommend few methods to increase the conversion of ethylene oxide to ethylene glycol.

*each group must choose difference inlet temperature