Department of Chemical Engineering

Process Design 1 PSL261S

Assignment 2: Material Balance

Due Date: 23 September 2023

Monochlorobenzene is produced by the reaction of benzene with chlorine. A mixture of monochlorobenzene and
dichlorobnzene is produced, with a small amount of trichlorobenzene. Hydrogen chloride is produced as a by-product.
Benzene is fed to the reactor in excess to promote the production of monochlorobenzene.
The reactor products are fed to a condenser, where the chlorobenzenes and unreacted benzenes are condensed. The
condensate is separated from the non-condensable gases in a separator. The non-condensables, hydrogen chloride and
unreacted chlorine pass to an absorption column where the hydrogen chloride is absorbed in water. The chlorine leaving
the absorber is recycled to the reactor.
The liquid phase from the separator, chlorobenzene and unreacted benzene, is fed to a distillation column, where the
chlorobenzenes are separated from the unreacted benzene. The benzene is recycled to the reactor.

Using the data given below, calculate the stream flows and draw up a preliminary flow sheet to produce 1.0 tonne
monochlorobenzene per day.
Hint: start the material balance at the reactor inlet (after the addition of the recycle streams) and use a basis of 100kmol/h
at this point.

Data:
Reactor: Reactions C6H6 + Cl2 = C6H5Cl + HCl
C6H6 + 2Cl2 = C6H4Cl2 + 2HCl
Mol ratio Cl2: C6H6 at inlet to reactor = 0.9
Overall conversion of benzene = 52.3 – 59.3 per cent
Yield of monochorobenzene = 73.6
Yield of dichlorobenzene = 27.3 per cent
Production of other chlorinated compounds can be neglected.
 SUBMIT THIS PAGE ONLY

Department of Chemical Engineering

Process Design PSL261S Assignment 2: Material balance

First Name: _________________________

Surname: _________________________
Student Number:________________________
(a) Perform a detailed material balance for the flow sheet described on the previous page using a
spreadsheet. Investigate the effect of varying the ratio of Cl2:C6H6 in the feed to the flowsheet.
Summarise your results in the template below. Attach your detailed calculation to this sheet and submit.

Use a basis of basis 100 kmol benzene at reactor inlet for your calculation.

Give the flow rate for the production of (*see flow rates given in table) tonnes of chlorobenzene per
year. Take the number of production hours per year as 8000 hours. The mass flows are as follows:

Reactor:
Cl2 reacted = ____________
HCl produced = ____________
Cl2 unreacted = ____________

Separator:
Gas phase: Cl2 = ____________
HCl = ____________

Liquid phase: C6H6 = ____________

C6H5Cl = ____________
C6H4Cl2 = ____________

Absorber:
Water for 30% w/w acid = ____________
Therefore, Solution Out = ____________

Cl2 recycled = ____________

Distillation:
Overheads:
C6H6 = ____________
C6H5Cl = ____________
C6H4Cl2 = ____________

= ____________
Bottoms: C6H6 = ____________
C6H5Cl = ____________
C6H4Cl2

Reactor with recycle feeds – = ____________

Fresh feeds: C6H6 = ____________
Cl2
Lay out your calculation in the form of a spreadsheet as shown below:

Reactor In Out
Chlorine kmol kmol
Benzene kmol kmol
MCB kmol kmol
DCB kmol kmol
HCl kmol kmol

Condenser/Flush
Drum In Vapour liquid
Chlorine kmol kmol kmol
Benzene kmol kmol kmol
MCB kmol kmol kmol
DCB kmol kmol kmol
HCl kmol kmol

Absorber In Tops Bottoms

Chlorine kmol kmol kmol
HCl kmol kmol kmol
Water kmol kmol kmol

Distillation Column In Tops Bottoms

Benzene kmol kmol kmol
MCB kmol kmol kmol
DCB kmol kmol kmol
Production Capacities

Capacity Capacity
STUDENT NAME STUDENT NAME Tonnes
Tonnes
Per year Per year
ADAMS M 30000 MABUKE N 145000

APRIL KCA 35000 MADIBELA IG 150000

BAILEY TJ 40000 MAGGOTT KM 155000

BEJA A 45000 MAKHABENI KP 160000

BRUINTJIES I 50000 MBIMBI S 165000

CHARLES HJ 55000 MDLIKISA Y 170000

CHONCO L 60000 MGWENYA JM 175000

CINGCI A 65000 MINNIE IKM 180000

DIKWIDI G 70000 MKOSANA Z 185000

DLUDLU SP 75000 MOAGI T 190000

DOLLIE MS 80000 MOEKETSI TD 195000

DUBE V 85000 MOGWASI K 200000

DUMA L 90000 MOSESANE TC 205000

DYONGWANA T 95000 MPOKO OM 210000

DYSSEL J 100000 MTSHENGU Y 215000

GQOROLO M 105000 MYAKAYAKA A 220000

HLAKO WR 110000 NCUMBA A 225000

HLONGWE L 115000 NCWANGU M 230000

KAMADYAAPA OMK 120000 NKUNA M 235000

KUBEKA SL 125000 NTAKANA A 240000

LUVHIMBI NV 130000 POLE O 245000

MAANS RG 135000 RHODA AI 250000

MABALEKA RM 140000 SEBELEBELE K 255000

SEKGETHO MO 260000 WARNE AV 280000

SMITH EL 265000 ZIWELE KZ 285000

SOHUMA Z 270000 SIGAUKE S 290000

TURKSTRA N 275000