National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal

Department of Chemical Engineering,

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CH 150 - Process Calculations, Assignment 2

Instructions:
(i) Answer all questions.
(ii) Assumption made if any and must be stated in the beginning of the answer. You have to answer first the
questions of Assignment- 1 and thereafter Assignment- 2. Assume if any missing information in the assignments
and solve it accordingly. You will be given full marks based on your valid assumptions only.

Q 1. Consider the tank of perfectly mixed liquid as shown below in Fig.1 with occurrence of chemical
reactions and component A reacts irreversibly at a specific reaction rate k to form product component B.
Reactant A is continuously supplied to the reactor with a volumetric flow rate Fi, a molar concentrations or
composition CAf and temperature Tf. The content of the reactor is perfectly mixed equipped with a
motorized agitator. An exit stream which consists of a mixture of unreacted reactant A and product B is
withdrawn continuously from the reactor with a volumetric flow rate Fo, composition Co and Temperature
T. In order to remove the exothermic heat of reaction i.e. generated due to chemical reaction, a cooling
jacket is arranged at outer periphery of the reactor. A coolant stream with a volumetric flow rate Fj and inlet
temperature Tjin (< T) continuously takes out the heat to maintain the desired reaction temperature. If
assumed the following (i) no heat loss from the process to the atmosphere (ii) constant mixture density (ρ)
and heat capacity (cp), (iii) Coolant temp (Tj) is constant throughout the reactor jacket, (iv) exit stream has
the same concentration and Temp as the entire reactor, (V) overall heat transfer coefficient (Ui) is constant.

Fig. 1. Perfectly mixed tank with chemical reaction.

Write the following mathematical equations:

(a) Overall continuity equation (Hints: overall continuity eq. is the same as overall mass balance eq.)
(b) Individual continuity eq. (component balance) for species A and B in differential form
(Rate of generation and disappearance of A can be denoted as +rA and –rA respectively.
Similarly, rate of generation and disappearance of B can be denoted as +rB and –rB respectively.
[ri= molL-1min-1] [Given: Fo =√(10Ach)]
Assuming a first-order reaction (-rA = KCA). Write down the differential eq. in the form of CAo, CA and CBo
and CB. Where: CAo and CA are the inlet and outlet concentration of A. Fo is the overall volumetric rate
(m3/min). K = α.exp(-E/RT)
(c) Find the final expression of an energy balance equation in the form as given below:
where Ac and h are the tank hold up area and tank high respectively. (Hint: rate of energy out
through jacket can be expressed in UiAh (T-Tj).

(Q.2a) Ammonia is synthesized at 200 bar and 773 K by the reaction N2 + 3H2 ↔ 2NH3 . The
yield of ammonia is 0.45 mol/mol of fresh feed. Flow sheet for the process (along with available
compositions) is shown below. The single pass conversion for H2 in the reactor is 20%. Calculate
the amount of H2 lost in the purge as a percentage of H2 in fresh feed.

(Q.2b) The following combustion reactions occur when methane is burnt.

CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O
2CH4 + 3O2 2 CO + 4H2O
20% excess air is supplied to the combustor. The conversion of methane is 80% and the molar ratio of
CO to CO2 in the flue gas is 1: 3. Assume air to have 80 mol% N2 and rest O2. Calculate the O2
consumed as a percentage of O2 entering the combustor is.
 National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal
Department of Chemical Engineering,
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CH 150 - Process Calculations, Assignment 3
Instructions:
(i) Answer all questions.
(ii) Assumption made if any and must be stated in the beginning of the answer.

Q.1. The 10% sodium bicarbonate solution is made in the plant by adding two 50-lbm bags of
NaHCO3 powder to a batch dissolving tank filled to roughly 80% of its capacity. From the
dissolving tank. the solution is sent to a feed drum from which solution is pumped continuously
to the resin neutralizer. It takes an operator four hours to make a batch of solution, pump the
solution to the feed drum and rinse the dissolving tank to prepare it for the next batch. The feed
drum can hold a 2.5-day supply of solution. The addition of each new batch of solution brings
the feed drum contents up to a 2-day (48hour) supply, so that the plant can continue to run for
at least 40 hours if the bicarbonate powder inventory runs low or the dissolver is shut down for
maintenance. (Note: The specific gravity of a 10 wt% sodium bicarbonate solution is 1.08.)

(a) Sketch the entire operations using flow sheet/block diagram.

(b) Calculate the feed drum volume (liters), the volume of solution made in each batch (liters).
and the probable volume of the dissolving tank (liters).
(c) What is the minimum dissolving tank volume needed to meet the requirements of the
process? assuming that roughly four hours would be required to prepare a batch of any size
and the tank is always filled to 80% of its capacity? What are the benefits of using a larger
tank?
(d) Suppose the dissolver agitator breaks down just after an operator finishes transferring a
batch of solution to the feed drum and it takes 32 hours to repair the agitator. How quickly
can the operators replenish the 48-hour supply of solution in the feed drum once the agitator
has been repaired? What would have happened if the minimum tank volume calculated in
part (b) had been used?
(e) The feed drum is outdoors. Neglecting dissociation of NaHCO3 in solution, estimate the
outside temperature (oC) at which freezing of the tank contents would become a concern.
The calculated temperature would be a conservative estimate, since dissociation of the salt
would lower the freezing point of water even more.
Q. 2. In a pharmaceutical industry it is required to dry the wet solid pharma pellets via supplying hot air in
rotary dryer operating at atmospheric pressure. The dryer operates with its full capacity and dries 10
tons/day of wet pellets at 70oF, from a moisture content of 10% to 1 % moisture. The air flow is
countercurrent to the flow of grain, enters at 225°F dry-bulb and 110°F wet-bulb temperature, and leaves
at 125QF dry-bulb. See Fig. 1. Determine:

(a) The humidity of the entering and leaving air if the latter is saturated
(b) The water removal in pounds per hour
(c) The daily product output in pounds per day and
(d) The heat input to the dryer

Fig. 1. Drying operation.