8/31/10

A mixture of methane and air is capable of being

ignited only if the mole % of methane is between 5 and
15 %. A mixture containing 9 mole % methane in air
flowing at a rate of 700 g/hr is to be diluted with pure
air to reduce methane to the lower flammability limit.
Find the mole fraction of O2 in the stream coming out,
n1.

Class 4
9% CH4, 91% air 5% CH4 95 % air
Monday, August 30th 700 g/h
Mixing Station
n1

air (mol/h)

9% CH4, 91% air 5% CH4 9% CH4, 91% air 5% CH4

Mixing Station Mixing Station
700 g/h 95 % air 700 g/h

air (mol/h) air (mol/h)

Plan:

a) Find average molecular wt, then moles of methan

b) Mass of methane coming in = mass of methane coming out in stream n1
c)  Moles of methane coming out in stream n1 = 5 % of n1
d) Can then solve for n1, and solve for moles of air in n1
e) Can solve for amount of pure air coming in but don’t need to
f) Find moles of oxygen in air then divide by total moles (n1)

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 8/31/10

9% CH4, 91% air 5% CH4 9% CH4, 91% air 5% CH4

Mixing Station Mixing Station
700 g/h 700 g/h

air (mol/h) air (mol/h)

A mixture containing 9 mole % methane in air What can be said about mass and mole fractions?
flowing at a rate of 700 kg/hr is to be diluted with pure
air to reduce methane to the lower flammability limit. a) The mass fraction of a species is always greater than
The density of methane is lower than that of air. Therefore the mole fraction of a species
the density of the stream coming out will be: b) The mole fraction of a species is always greater than
the mass fraction of a species
a)  Lower than that of the methane stream coming in c) In a mixture of gases, the species that has the highest
b)  Higher than that of the methane stream coming in mole fraction will have the highest mass fraction.
c)  The same because of conservation of mass
d) In a mixture of liquids, the species that has the highest
mole fraction will have the highest mass fraction.
e) The relationship between mole and mass fraction
cannot be determined without additional information.

2
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Section 3.4: Pressure Temperature

Pressure = Force/Area
T(K) = T(oC) + 273.15
Therefore, units of: lbf/in2 T (oF) = (9/5)[T(oC)] + 32
T(oR) = T(oF) + 460
dynes/cm2
oC K oF oR
N/m2 (= Pa)
0 273 32 492
100 373 212 672
Some Standard Conversions
delta T: 100oC 100K 180oF 180oR
1 atm = 1.01325 bars = 14.7 lbf/in2
= 760 mm Hg (at 0oC) delta oF or delta oR
= 33.9 ft H2O (at 0oC)
= 1.01325 x 105 Pa
-------------------------- = 1.8
= 101.325 kPa delta oC or delta K

Sections 4 - 4.3a Batch or Semi-Batch Processing: All of the feed is

charged at the beginning and all of the product is
Fundamentals of Material Balances removed at some time later

Transient or unsteady state processes in which

process variables change with time
• Process Classification
Continuous Processing:
• General Balance Equation The inputs and outputs flow continuously throughout
the duration of the process
• Flow Charts
Steady state processes in which process variables do
not change with time

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General Balance Equation

Input + Generation - Output - Consumption = Accumulation
Input (enters through system boundaries)
Generation (produced within the system)
Output (leaves through system boundaries)
Consumption (consumed within the system)
Accumulation (buildup with the system)
II. Consumption
III. Accumulation
Methane is a component of both the input and output
streams of a continuous process. When the mass flow rates
are measured, it is found that the mass flow rate in is less
than the mass flow rate out. Which part(s) of the general
balance equation could you keep in, assuming the
measurements are correct and the process does not leak?
I. Generation

a) I only
b) II and III only
c) I and III only
d) I and II only
e) I, II and III

For a continuous process at steady state, which term in For a continuous process with no reaction, which term(s) drop
the general balance equation drops out? out?
I. Input II. Generation III. Output
a) Input IV. Consumption V. Accumulation
b) Generation
c) Output a) I and II
d) Consumption b) II and III
e) Accumulation c) II and IV
d) II, III and IV
e) I and III

4

Method of Solution (Approach) for Material Balance
Problems
1.  Draw a schematic for the process (flowchart) and label
all streams
2. Select a Basis (often given for you)
3. Write balances for the total mass (or moles) and for
each component, noting independent equations. For non-
reactive processes up to N material balances may be
written, where N is the number of independent species
involved in the process.
4.  Solve the resulting system of equations
Careful: You can only write a total mole balance if there is
no reaction or if there is no change in total moles with the
reaction!
8/31/10
A distillation column separates components
based on their volatility. One or more
streams are fed to the column and two or
more product streams emerge, with the
overhead stream rich in the more volatile
substance. Consider a case where one
stream that is 3 weight % B and the rest C
and another stream that is 5300 kg/hr
containing only A and B are fed to a column.
Three product streams emerge: the
overhead is 100 % A. The bottom stream is
60 % B by weight and the rest C. The middle
stream, which is 1200 kg/h is 70 % A by
weight and the rest B and C.
Consider a case where one stream that is 3 wt %
B and the rest C and another stream that is 5300
kg/hr containing only A and B are fed to a column.
Three product streams emerge: the overhead is
100 % A. The bottom stream is 60 wt % B and the
rest C. The middle stream, which is 1200 kg/h is
70 wt % A and the rest B and C.
How many unknowns are there?
a) 4 b) 5
c) 6 d) 7
5
 8/31/10

Consider a case where one stream that is 3 wt % B and the
rest C and another stream that is 5300 kg/hr containing
only A and B are fed to a column. Three product streams
emerge: the overhead is 100 % A. The bottom stream is 60
wt % B and the rest C. The middle stream, which is 1200
kg/h is 70 wt % A and the rest B and C.
How many material balances
may be written?
a) 1 b) 2
c) 3 d) 4
Consider a case where one stream that is 3 wt %
B and the rest C and another stream that is 5300
kg/hr containing only A and B are fed to a column.
Three product streams emerge: the overhead is
100 % A. The bottom stream is 60 wt % B and the
rest C. The middle stream, which is 1200 kg/h is
70 wt % A and the rest B and C.
How many unknowns must be
specified?
a)  2 b) 3
c) 4 d) 5