Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering (5th Edition)

chegg.com/homework-help/irreversible-elementary-gas-phase-reaction-carried-isotherma-chapter-15-
problem-5P-solution-9780133887518-exc

A first-order heterogeneous irreversible reaction is taking place within

a spherical catalyst pellet which is plated with platinum throughout
the pellet (see Figure 4). The reactant concentration halfway between
the external surface and the center of the pellet (i.e., r = R/2) is equal
to one-tenth the concentration of the pellet's external surface. The
concentration at the external surface is 0.001 g mol/dm3, the
diameter (2R) is 2 × 10-3 cm, and the diffusion coefficient is 0.1 cm2/s.

(a) What is the concentration of reactant at a distance of 3 × 10 -4 cm

in from the external pellet surface? (Ans.: CA = 2.36 × 10-4 mol/dm3.)

(b) To what diameter should the pellet be reduced if the effectiveness

factor is to be 0.8? (Ans.: dp = 6.8 × 10-4 cm. Critique this answer!)

(c) If the catalyst support were not yet plated with platinum, how
would you suggest that the catalyst support be plated after it had
been reduced by grinding?

Figure 4

1/6
1. The concentration at the external surface of catalyst is
.

The diameter of the spherical catalyst pellet is .

The diffusion coefficient is .

The equation for both diffusion and reaction inside the catalyst
pellet is as follows:

Here, is the reaction rate constant,

is the surface area of the catalyst,
is the density of the catalyst.

On solving the equation,

Here, , is the concentration at the

surface of the catalyst, is the Thiele modulus.

2. (a)

At , the value of is as follows:

At , the concentration of reactant is .

On solving this equation, the value of is .

The distance from the pellet surface is

.

Calculation for the new value of is as

follows:

The concentration of the reactant is calculated

using following formula:

Thus, the concentration of reactant at a distance

is .

2/6
 3. (b)

The effectiveness factor for the first

order reaction is as follows:

Calculate Thiele modulus for .

Thiele modulus for a first order

reaction is as follows:

At , . Find the value of at

using following formula:

The diameter of the pellet is calculated as

follows:

Thus, the diameter of the catalyst pellet is

.

4. (c)

Platinum is one of the hardest and robust

metals. If the catalyst support is not plated
with platinum, then the catalyst will be easily
disintegrated. The decrease in the catalyst
activity easily suggests that the catalyst is
reduced by grinding.

Recommended solutions for you in Chapter 15

Previous Solution

Chapter 15, Problem 8P

A first-order reaction is taking place inside a porous catalyst. Assume

dilute concentrations and neglect any variations in the...
3/6
See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 11P

Derive the concentration profile and effectiveness factor for cylindrical

pellets 0.2 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm in length. Neglect diffusion
through the ends of the pellet.(a) Assume that the reaction is a first-
order isomerization. (Hint: Look...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 6P

The swimming rate of a small organism [J. Theoret. Biol., 26, 11 (1970)]
is related to the energy released by the hydrolysis of...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 13P

Falsified Kinetics. The irreversible gas-phase dimcrization2A → A,is

carried out at 8.2 atm in a stirred contained-solids...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 14P

4/6
The following experiment was carried out at 237°C:(a) What are the
apparent reaction order and the apparent activation...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 12P

Extension of Problem P12-8B. The elementary isomerization

reactionis taking place on the walls of a cylindrical catalyst pore....

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 5P

A first-order heterogeneous irreversible reaction is taking place within

a spherical catalyst pellet which is plated with...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 7P

A first-order, heterogeneous, irreversible reaction is taking place

within a catalyst pore which is plated with platinum...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 10P

The second-order decomposition

reactionis carried out in a tubular reactor
packed with catalyst pellets 0.4 cm in
diameter. The...

See solution

5/6
Chapter 15, Problem 8P

A first-order reaction is taking place inside a porous catalyst. Assume

dilute concentrations and neglect any variations in the...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 11P

Derive the concentration profile and effectiveness factor for cylindrical

pellets 0.2 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm in length. Neglect diffusion
through the ends of the pellet.(a) Assume that the reaction is a first-
order isomerization. (Hint: Look...

See solution

Chapter 15, Problem 6P

The swimming rate of a small organism [J. Theoret. Biol., 26, 11 (1970)]
is related to the energy released by the hydrolysis of...

See solution

Next Solution

6/6