CHN-302: Engineering Analysis and Process Modeling

Midterm: Q1

Total Marks: 100 Duration: 25 mins

Instructions:

1. Plagiarism (copying assignment from others or allowing others to copy your

assignment) will be strongly penalized. If two or more copies are found identical, no
marks will be awarded to any of them.
2. Scans/photographs of handwritten assignments should be merged in a single pdf file
and uploaded on MS Teams.
3. Clearly state your assumption if you are making any.

Q1. Reactant A is continuously fed to a stirred tank reactor (as shown in the figure) with a
volumetric flow rate F0. Reactant A converts to B and C through different routes. Both reactions
(A->B and A->C) are endothermic with heat of reaction hr1 (Joule/mol) and hr2 (Joule/mol)
respectively (values of hr1 and hr2 are negative for exothermic reaction and positive for
endothermic reaction). A heating jacket is installed around the reactor to provide the
endothermic heat required for the reaction. Heating liquid with a volumetric flow Fc and inlet
temperature Tin (>T) continuously provides the heat to maintain the desired reaction
temperature.

k1 B
A

C 𝐸𝑎1 𝐸𝑎2
k2
𝑘1 = 𝐴1 𝑒 − 𝑅𝑇 𝑘2 = 𝐴2 𝑒 − 𝑅𝑇

Cp = heat capacity of the liquid in the reactor

U= Overall heat transfer coefficient

d = diameter of the reactor

ρ = density of the liquid (assumed constant)

A1, Ea1 = Frequency factor and Activation energy of the first reaction

A2, Ea2 = Frequency factor and Activation energy of the second reaction

Assumptions

1. Both reactions are first order reactions.

2. The mixture density (ρ) and heat capacity (Cp) are assumed constant.
3. 𝑭 = 𝒂√𝒉 ; where “a” is a constant.
4. The heating liquid is perfectly mixed and hence, the temperature (Tc) everywhere in
the jacket is the same.
5. The reactor is a flat-bottomed vertical cylinder and the jacket is around the outside
and the bottom i.e. heat is removed from the side wall as well as from the bottom of
the reactor.
6. Momentum change is negligible.
7. Heating liquid temperature remains constant.
8. Heat losses from the process to the surroundings are negligible.
9. Any additional assumption needs to be mentioned.

F0
Fc
CA0 Tc
CB0

CC0
h CA
T0
D CB F
T CC CA

Tc CB

Fc CC

Given parameters: F0, CA0, CB0, CC0, T0, Tc, Fc, D (diameter of the reactor)
Develop a dynamic mathematical model of the system. Do the degree of freedom analysis, and
identify degree of freedom of the system. Clearly mention independent equations and
unknowns. Clearly write all the steps involved in developing the model, starting from applying
conservation principles. No mark will be awarded for writing only final set of equations.