UNIVERSIDAD DEL VALLE

FACULTAD DE INGENIERÍA
ESCUELA DE INGENIERÍA QUÍMICA
INGENIERÍA DE LAS REACCIONES QUÍMICAS
740045M
Homework 1

Homework assigned on March 13th, 2021.

Due on March 19th, 2021.

1. 25%
A gas-phase reaction, 𝐴 → 2𝑅, is carried out in a tubular plug flow reactor ta
𝑇 = 60℃ and 𝑃𝑇 = 4.75 bar. The feed consists of 50 mol-% A and 50 mol-%
inert at a rate of 4000 kg/h. The molecular weights of A and inert are 40 and
20, respectively, and the rate coefficient is 𝑘 = 2000 ℎ−1 . Determine the
reactor size for 35 percent conversion of A.

2. 25%
Kermode and Stevens (1965) studied the reaction of ammonia (𝐴) and
formaldehyde (𝐵) to make hexamine.

4𝑁𝐻3 + 6𝐻𝐶𝐻𝑂 → (𝐶𝐻2 )6 𝑁4 + 6𝐻2 𝑂

The continuous flow reactor was a 490-𝑐𝑚3 baffled stainless steel tank stirred
at 180 rpm, with several precautions to ensure almost perfect mixing. The
overall reaction had a rate.

𝐴
𝑟𝐴 = 𝑘𝐶𝐴 𝐶𝐵2 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝐿∗𝑠
3090
(− )
With 𝑘 = 1.42 ∗ 103 𝑒 𝑇 . The reactants were fed in streams of 1.50 𝑐𝑚3 /𝑠,
with the ammonia concentration 4.06 𝑚𝑜𝑙/𝐿 and the formaldehyde
concentration 6.32 𝑚𝑜𝑙/𝐿. The temperature in the reactor was 36℃. Calculate
𝐶𝐴 and 𝐶𝐵 , the concentrations in the reactor and in the effluent.

3. 25%
An irreversible liquid-phase reaction
𝐴→𝐵
is carried out in a plug-flow reactor. The reaction rate is expressed as
𝑟 = 𝑘 ∗ 𝐶𝐴𝑛
where 𝑛 is the reaction order and 𝑘 is the rate constant. The reactor volume
is 𝑉 = 1.5 𝑑𝑚3 and the entering volumetric flow rate is maintained constant at
𝑑𝑚3 𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑄0 = 0.9 . The initial concentration of A is 𝐶𝐴0 = 1.0 , and the rate
𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑚3
 constant is 𝑘 = 1.1. Plot the conversion X as a function of reactor volume for
n = 0, 1, 2, and 3. Make an analysis of the results.

4. 25%
Consider the following two well-mixed, isothermal gas-phase batch reactors
for the elementary and irreversibly decomposition of 𝐴 to 𝐵.

𝑘
𝐴 → 2𝐵
Reactor 1: The reactor volume is held constant (reactor pressure therefore
changes).
Reactor 2: The reactor pressure is held constant (reactor volume therefore
changes).

Both reactors are changed with pure A at 1.0 atm and 𝑘 = 0.35 𝑚𝑖𝑛−1.
• What is the fractional decrease in the concentration of A in reactors 1
and 2 after five minutes?
• What is the total molar conversion of A in reactors 1 and 2 after five
minutes?