Chemical Reaction Engineering I

Homework #1

Due: November 17, 2017

Problem 1) A gas-phase reaction represented by A + 2B  C +3D was carried out in a PBR,

10 cm in diameter and 2 m in length. The true density of the catalyst particles loaded in the
reactor was 2.5 g/cm3 and the bulk density was 1.5 g/cm3.

1.1 Calculate the volume of the reactor and the mass of the catalyst.

1.2 Calculate the void fraction in the reactor.

1.3 When the reaction rate of component A is -1 ∙

, determine the reaction rates for the
other components, B, C and D.

1.4 Convert a reaction rate of 1 ∙

into the reaction rate in ∙
.

Problem 2) An equi-molar gas mixture of A and B was admitted at 500K and 5 atm. into a
PFR. Assuming the mixture is an ideal gas, determine the molar concentration and the molar
flow rate of component A at the reactor inlet when the volumetric flow rate of the entering
gas 10 L/s.

Problem 3) A liquid-phase reaction represented by A B was carried out in a continuous

reactor. The reactant A is pure, the concentration is 1 mol/L, and the volumetric flow rate is
100 L/min. The reaction rate of A, -rA = kCA where k = 1.0/min. and CA represents the molar
concentration of A.

3.1 Determine the volume of a CSTR necessary to achieve a conversion (XA) of 0.8.

3.2 Determine the volume of a PFR necessary to achieve a conversion (XA) of 0.8.

Problem 4) n-pentane is admitted into a 100 L reactor at rate of 1 kg/min. The reactor is
maintained at 300oC and 10 atm. Assuming the n-pentane is an ideal gas, calculate SV, GHSV,
and LHSV (molecular weight of n-pentane = 72 g/mol; density of n-pentane = 0.63 g/cm3 at
60oF).

Problem 5) 1 m3/hr of naphtha is flown though a PFR loaded with 760 kg of catalyst.
Calculate the WHSV of the reactor assuming that the density of naphtha is 760 kg/m3.

Problem 6) A reaction represented by A  B was carried out in a batch reactor. The reaction
rate of A can be expressed as –rA = kCA2 (k = 0.01 ∙
). The initial concentration of A in the
reactor was at 2 mol/L. Calculate the time it would take for the concentration of A in the
reactor to fall down to one tenth of the initial concentration.
Problem 7) A homogeneous liquid reaction ( A  R, -rA = kCA2) takes place with 50%

conversion in a CSTR. What will be the conversion if the original reactor is replaced by a
plug flow reactor of equal size - all else remaining unchanged.

Problem 8) The reaction A  B + C was carried out and the following data recorded:
XA 0 0.2 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.9
-rA 1.0 1.67 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 1.25 0.91
mol/dm3/min

The entering molar flow rate of A was 300 mol/min.

8.1 Over what range of conversions would the CSTR and PFR reactor volumes be identical?
8.2 What conversion can be achieved if a 72 dm3 PFR is followed in series by a 24 dm3
CSTR?