FACULTY OF CHEMICAL & NATURAL RESOURCES ENGINEERING

FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE : CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING I

COURSE CODE : BKF2453

LECTURER : MD MAKSUDUR RAHMAN KHAN

MOHD SABRI BIN MAHMUD
SUREENA ABDULLAH

DATE : XXX MAY 2019

DURATION : 3 HOURS

SESSION/SEMESTER : SESSION 2018/2019 SEMESTER II

PROGRAMME CODE : BKC

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATE:

1. This question paper consists of THREE (3) questions. Answer ALL questions.
2. All answers to a new question should start on new page.
3. All the calculations and assumptions must be clearly stated.
4. Candidates are not allowed to bring any material other than those allowed by the
invigilator into the examination room.
5. The question should be answered in English.

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. TEXT BOOK entitled ‘Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering’, by H. Scott
Fogler.
2. APPENDICES copy from the textbook (1) of which the editions do not have it

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of FOUR (4) printed pages including front page.
CONFIDENTIAL BKC/1819II/BKF2453

QUESTION 1 [30 MARKS]

A liquid phase reaction,

A →2 B+C
is carried out in a flow reactor system shown in Figure 1. The initial concentration of
A, CA0 = 100 mol L-1. The feed contains certain amount of B (2 mol%) and C (3 mol
%). The reaction is conducted isothermally at 80 ⁰C. The specific reaction rate, k =
0.015 s-1.
a) Derive an equation to predict the concentration of A at the exit of PFR.
(10 Marks)
b) Analyse the equation in (a) and compare the options to improve the
conversion: space time, τ1 > τ2; and τ2 > τ1.
(3 Marks)
c) Set up stoichiometric table to express the concentration of A, B and C as a
function of conversion.
(5 Marks)
d) Design the reactors in Figure 1 to produce 100 mol s 1 of B. The intermediate
and the final conversions are 0.3 and 0.9, respectively.
(12 Marks)

Figure 1: Flow reactor system

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QUESTION 2 [40 MARKS]

Water gas shift reaction,

CO + H2O  CO2 + H2
is an elementary gas phase reaction. Work out the following tasks.
a) Estimate the time required by the reaction to convert 90% of limiting reactant
at 200oC (isothermal) in a 1-L bomb calorimeter if the reactor initially
contains carbon monoxide, water and carbon dioxide at a molar ratio of
CO:H2O:CO2 = 2:1:0.1 at atmospheric pressure. The specific rate constant is 10-1
L mol-1 s-1.
(14 Marks)
b) Evaluate pressure drop when the reaction occurs in a packed bed reactor
containing a catalyst at 200 oC and the rate constant, k’ = 30 L2 kgcat-1 mol-1 s-
1
. The reactor internal diameter, D = 10 cm; the initial gas density, 0 = 10 kg
m-3; the catalyst porosity,  = 0.5; the catalyst density, c = 3000 kg m-3; the
catalyst particle diameter, Dp = 5 mm and the feed flow is turbulent. The feed
at the ratio similar to (a) enters the reactor to convert 90% of limiting reactant
at 10 L s-1 and 10 bar.
(24 Marks)
c) From an analysis, condition (a) actually has a second reaction as follows
CO + H2  CH2O
which is also elementary. The activation energy of the second reactor is
greater than the activation energy of the first reaction. Suggest condition and
reactor scheme that can maximize the production of hydrogen.
(6 Marks)

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QUESTION 3 [30 MARKS]

An irreversible organic liquid phase reaction to produce product C
A+BC
is carried out in a 4700-L mixed reactor. The reaction is first order in A and zero order
in B. Feed containing A, B and inert I enters the CSTR at 300 K with a total
volumetric flowrate of 3 m3 min-1. The inlet molar ratio of A:B:I is 1:9:2.5. Additional
information is as listed below.
k(300K) = 0.1 min-1
E = 10 000 J mol-1
H0A(25oC) = -14 500 J mol-1
H0B(25oC) = -286 000 J mol-1
H0C(25oC) = -526 000 J mol-1
C p =90 J mol-1 K-1
A

C p =74 J mol-1 K-1

B

C p =120 J mol-1 K-1

C

C p =76 J mol-1 K-1

i

(a) Find out whether the CSTR can be used or not to run the reaction if the
maximum allowable operating temperature of the reaction is 550 K (point
where A will start to vaporize).
(26 Marks)
(b) What is the highest operating temperature can be obtained on the CSTR?
(2 Marks)
(c) Suggest what will happen to the conversion and temperature if the CSTR
volume is reduced by 25%.
(2 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER