JANUARY 2019

ASSIGNMENT (5%)
SECTION L01-T4
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

Question 1

(a) The rate of a fluid, q through a nozzle can be determined through a dimensionally
homogenous equation as follows:

[√ ] ΔP 2
q=C A
ρ
√() d
1− 1
d2
4

Where; C = Dimensionless constant, A = Area of nozzle outlet, ρ = Density of fluid,

ΔP = Pressure drop across the nozzle, d1 = Smaller nozzle diameter, d2 = Larger
nozzle diameter.
Determine the dimension of q in the equation above.
(8 marks)
(b) 15 kg of ammonia (NH3) undergo incomplete combustion with 25 kg of O2 gas to form
nitric oxide (NO) and water. At the end of the reaction, the mass is extracted and the
unreacted mass of the O2 gas is found to be 35% of the O2 mass fed into the system.

i. State the balanced stoichiometric equation of the reaction.

(1 mark)
ii. Determine the limiting reactant.
(6 marks)
iii. Calculate the percentage of the excess reactant.
(6 marks)
iv. Calculate the mass of nitric oxide (NO) and water produced from the reaction.
(4 marks)

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Question 2

An example of a common industrially significant parallel reaction is the production of

ethylene (C2H4) by oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (C2H6) while avoiding another
reaction that forms carbon dioxide (CO2). Both reactions also produce water as side product.

C2 H 6 + 0 .5O2 →C2 H 4 + H2 O
C2 H 6 + 3 .5O2 →2CO 2 + 3H2 O
The parallel reactions take place in a continuous reactor at steady state. The feed inlet
contains mixture of 10.0 mol% C2H6 and excess air (air consists of 21 mol% O2 and 79 mol% N2).
The conversion of C2H6 is determined to be 75.0% and the fractional yield of C 2H4 as 0.35.
The outlet stream flows at the rate of 310 mol total/hr and the molar fraction of N 2 in this
stream is 0.69.

(a) Draw and fully label the process flowchart.

(3 marks)
(b) Calculate the molar composition (in mol%) of the output gas stream on a dry basis
using extent of reaction method.
(20 marks)
(c) Briefly explain why parallel reactions were observed in the reactor.
(2 marks)

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Question 3

(a) Liquid methanol (CH3OH) is fed into an evaporator at a rate of 15.0 ft 3/min, where it
evaporates with another feed stream of N2 gas. The N2 gas is fed to the evaporator at
520R and pressure gauge of 5.0 bars. The gas mixture leaving the evaporator is
further diluted by another N2 gas stream flowing at a measured rate of 2500.0 ft 3/min
at 520R and absolute pressure of 2.5 bars. The combined gases subsequently are
compressed to an absolute total pressure of 7.6 bars and temperature of 745R.
N2 gas must leave the compressor at a partial pressure of 3.5 bars. A diagram of this
evaporation-compression process is shown below in Figure 1. Assume ideal gas
behavior for the gases compound and atmospheric pressure of 1 atm.

N2
COMPRESSOR
CH3OH
EVAPORATOR N2
CH3OH

N2

Figure 1

i. Determine all the unknown molar flow rates (in lbmol/min) and the molar
composition (in mol%) of the stream leaving the compressor
(11 marks)
ii. Calculate the volumetric flow rate of the N 2 gas entering the evaporator using
conversion from standard conditions.
(4 marks)
(b) A liquid mixture of 40 mol% 1-Propanol (C 3H8O) and 2-Propanol (C3H8O) is in
equilibrium with its vapor mixture at 63C. The gas-liquid mixture exhibits ideal solution
behavior. Solve the system pressure and the vapor mixture composition (in mol%).
(10 marks)

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Question 4

An equal molar liquid mixture of benzene (C 6H6) and toluene (C7H8) is fed into an evaporator
at 90C. Due to the reduced pressure in the evaporator, a portion of the mixture evaporates to
form vapor. The liquid product emerges at a rate of 19.1 mol/s containing 31.6 mol% toluene.
48% of the C 6H 6 in the inlet mixture emerges from the evaporator as liquid product.
Both liquid and vapor product streams are in equilibrium at 63C.

(a) Draw and fully label a process flowchart.

(3 marks)
(b) Solve the total molar flow rate of the vapor product and its molar fraction.
(7 marks)
(c) Taking [benzene (l, 63C), and toluene (l, 63C)] as reference for enthalpy calculations,
prepare and fill in the inlet-outlet enthalpy table and calculate the required heat input
rate in kilowatts. (Neglect the effects of pressure changes on enthalpies).
(15 marks)

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Question 5

n-Hexane (C6H14) gas at 25C and 1 atm is combusted with excess air (assume air
consists of 21 mol% O 2 and the balance N 2) in a catalytic reactor as shown in Figure 2.
Air has been preheated to 350C, and fed to the reactor at 1 atm. The reactor has two output
streams emerges at 750C and 1 atm. Analysis of the dry product gas shows a composition
of 13.31 mol% CO2, 85.13 mol% N2, and O2 with its total rate of 157.75 mol/hr.

100 % C6H14 (n1 mol/hr)

Dry Product Gas

Air (n2 mol/hr)

100% H2O vapor (n3 mol/hr)

Figure 2

(a) Solve n1, n2, and n3 as showed in Figure 2 using atomic species balance.
(6 marks)
(b) Taking elemental species [C(s), O2(g), H2(g) and N2(g)] at 25°C, 1atm as reference
for enthalpy calculations, prepare and fill in the inlet-outlet enthalpy table and
calculate the heat transferred to or from the condenser in kilowatts (Neglect the
effects of pressure changes on enthalpies).
(19 marks)

APPENDICES

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A. List Of Formulations
ρi g kg lbm
1. SGi= ; ρref =1 . 000 3
=1000 . 0 3 =62 . 43 3
ρref cm m ft
1 x
2. M̄=∑ y i M i ; =∑ i
M̄ Mi
3 .n i=n io +νi ζ
Reactant input to process −Reactant output from process
4 . Overall Conversion= ×100 %
Reactant input to process
Reactant input to reactor −Reactant output from reactor
5 . Single-Pass Conversion= ×100 %
Reactant input to reactor
(nair , feed )−(nair ,theoretical ) n−n s
6 . % Excess Air= ×100 %; % Excess = ×100 %
(nair , theoretical ) ns
7 . Q̇−Ẇ s = Δ Ḣ+ Δ Ėk +Δ Ė p
T2
8 . Δ H=
^ ∫ C p (T )dT
T1
9 . Δ Ḣ=∑ ṅi H^ i −∑ ṅ i H^ i
out in
10 . ΔH =ξΔ H^ 0r + ∑ n out H^ out −∑ nin H^ in
out in
|n A ,out−n A , in|
11. ξ=
|v A|
12. PV =nRT ; P V^ =zRT
^ V ideal V^ Pc
13 . V = ;V r =
n RT c
P T
14 . P r = ;T r =
Pc Tc
RT αa
The SRK equation of state: P= −
V^ −b V^ ( V^ +b)
( RT c )2 RT 2
a=0 . 42747 ;b=0 . 08664 c ;m=0. 48508+1 . 55171ω−0 .1561ω 2 ;α=[ 1+m(1−√ T r ) ]
Pc Pc
P V^ B
The virial equation of state truncated after the second term: =1+
RT V^
RT c 0 . 422 0 . 172
B= (B o +ωB1 ); Bo =0. 083− ;B1 =0 . 139−
Pc T 1 .6 T 4 .2
r r

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¿
15 . pi = y i P= pi(T )
16 . pi = y i P= p¿i(T )
dewpoint
¿
17 . p A = y A P=x p A A(T )
18 . p A = y A P=x A H A(T )
p
19 . sr (hr )= i¿ ¿100%
pi( T )

B. Gas Constant

m3 . Pa. L . bar. L . atm L . mmHg

R=8. 314 =0 .08314 =0 . 08206 =62 .36
mol . K mol . K mol . K mol . K
3 3
ft . atm ft . psia
=0 .7302 =10 . 73
lb mol . o R lb mol . o R
cal J Btu
=1. 987 =8 .3144 =1 .987
mol . K mol . K lb mol . o R

C. Standard Conditions for Gases

System Ts Ps Vs ns
3
SI 273 K 1 atm 0.022415 m 1 mol
CGS 273 K 1 atm 22.415 L 1 mol
3
American Engineering 492˚R 1 atm 359.05 ft 1 Ib-mole

D. Pitzer Acentric Factors

Compound Acentric Factor, ω
Ammonia 0.250
Argon -0.004
Carbon dioxide 0.225
Carbon monoxide 0.049
Chlorine 0.073
Ethane 0.098
Hydrogen sulfide 0.100
Methane 0.008
Methanol 0.559
Nitrogen 0.040
Oxygen 0.021
Propane 0.152
Sulfur dioxide 0.251
Water 0.344
E. Factors For Unit Conversions

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Quantity Equivalent Values

Mass 1 kg = 1000 g = 0.001 metric ton = 2.20462 lbm = 35.27392 oz

1 lbm = 16 oz = 5 x 10–4 ton = 453.593 g = 0.453593 kg

Length 1m = 100 cm = 1000 mm = 106 microns (m) = 1010 angstroms (Å)

= 39.37 in = 3.2808 ft = 1.0936 yd = 0.0006214 mile
1 ft = 12 in = 1/3 yd = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm

Volume 1 m3 = 1000 liters = 106 cm3 = 106 ml

= 35.3145 ft3 = 220.83 imperial gallons = 264.17 gal
= 1056.68 qt
1ft3 = 1728 in3 = 7.4805 gal = 0.028317 m3 = 28.317 liters
= 28 317 cm3

Force 1N = 1 kg.m/s2 = 105 dynes = 105 g.cm/s2 = 0.22481 lbf

1 lbf = 32.174 lbm.ft/s2 = 4.4482 N = 4.4482 x 105 dynes

Pressure 1 atm = 1.01325 x 105 N/m2 (Pa) = 101.325 kPa = 1.01325 bars
= 1.01325 x 106 dynes/cm2
= 760 mm Hg at 0C (torr) = 10.333 m H2O at 4C
= 14.696 lbf/in2 (psi) = 33.9 ft H2O at 4C
= 29.921 in Hg at 0C

Energy 1J = 1 N.m = 107 ergs = 107 dyne.cm

= 2.778 x 10-7 kW.h = 0.23901 cal
= 0.7376 ft-lbf = 9.486 x 10 - 4 Btu

Power 1W = 1 J/s = 0.23901 cal/s = 0.7376 ft.lbf/s = 9.486 x 10–4 Btu/s

= 1.341 x 10 - 3 hp

Temperature T(K) = T(C) + 273.15

T(F) = 1.8 T(C) + 32
T(R) = T(F) + 459.67
T(R) = 1.8 T(K)

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