Chemical Engineering Department

CDB 3044 – Process Plant Design

Tutorial – 2
06 Feb 2017
(Submission Deadline for Assignment # 1: 13th Feb 2017)

1. In the production of ethanol by the hydrolysis of ethylene, diethyl ether is produced as a by-
product. A typical feed stream composition is having 55% ethylene, 5% inerts, 40% water and
product stream is having 52.26% ethylene, 5.49% ethanol, 0.16% ether, 36.81% water, 5.28%
inerts. Calculate the yield of ethanol and ether based on ethylene.

Reactions

2. A desired liquid-phase reaction: [Assignment # 1]

is accompanied by a parallel reaction:

Evaluate the different possible reactor configurations such as ideal batch, semi-batch, plug-flow,
semi-plug-flow and mixed flow for the reaction system. In the case of the semi-batch and semi-
plug flow reactors, the order of addition of A and B can be changed. Order the reactor
configurations from the most desirable to the least desirable to maximize production of the
desired product.