Tutorial 3
Course Name: Chemical Reaction Engineering II Course code: CL-302
Instructor: Prof. Bishnupada Mandal Date: 27-08-2022
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Note: Questions from 1 to 5 carries 2 marks each. Question 6 carry 10 marks.
Answer all questions in order.
All numerical values must be calculated up to 2 decimal places
1. A reaction A → R is to take place on a porous catalyst pellet (dp, = 6 mm, 𝒟 = 10-6 m3/m
cat. s). How much is the rate slowed by pore diffusional resistance if the concentration of
reactant bathing the particle is 100 mol/m3 and the diffusion-free kinetics are given by
𝒎𝒐𝒍
−𝒓𝑨 = 𝟎. 𝟏 𝑪𝟐𝑨
𝒎𝟑 𝒄𝒂𝒕 ∙ 𝒔
Answers:
2. A packed bed reactor converts A to R by a first-order catalytic reaction, A → R. With 9-
mm pellets the reactor operates in the strong pore diffusion resistance regime and gives
63.2% conversion. If these pellets were replaced by 18-mm pellets (to reduce pressure
drop) how would this affect the conversion?
Answers:
3. A porous pellet with Pt dispersed in it, is used to carry out a catalytic reaction. Following
two scenarios are possible.
Scenario 1: Pt present throughout the pores of the pellet is used for catalyzing the reaction.
Scenario 2: Pt present only in the immediate vicinity of the external surface of the pellet is used
for catalyzing the reaction.
At a large value of Thiele modulus, which one of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Since the reaction rate is much greater than the diffusion rate, Scenario 1 occurs.
B. Since the reaction rate is much greater than the diffusion rate , Scenario 2 occurs.
C. Since the reaction rate is much lower than the diffusion rate, Scenario 1 occurs.
D. Since the reaction rate is much lower than the diffusion rate, Scenario 2 occurs.
Answers: (B)
4. A catalyst slab of half-thickness L (the width and length of the slab>> L) is used
to conduct the first order reaction A → B. At 450 K, the Thiele modulus for this
system is 0.5. The activation energy for the first order rate constant is 100 kJ/mol. The
effective diffusivity of the reactant in the slab can be assumed to be independent of
temperature, and external mass transfer resistance can be neglected. If the temperature
of the reaction is increased to 470 K, then the effectiveness factor at 470 K (up to two
decimal place) will be ______.
Answers: From Arrhenius Equation:
𝒌𝟒𝟓𝟎 = 𝒌𝟎 𝒆 𝑬𝒂⁄𝑹𝑻𝟒𝟓𝟎
𝒌𝟒𝟕𝟎 = 𝒌𝟎 𝒆 𝑬𝒂⁄𝑹𝑻𝟒𝟕𝟎
So,
𝒌𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝒌𝟎 𝒆 𝑬⁄𝑹𝑻𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝑬𝒂 𝟏 𝟏
𝑹 𝑻𝟒𝟕𝟎 𝑻𝟒𝟓𝟎
= = 𝒆
𝒌𝟒𝟕𝟎 𝒌𝟎 𝒆 𝑬⁄𝑹𝑻𝟒𝟕𝟎
𝑬𝒂 𝟏 𝟏
⇒ 𝒆𝒙𝒑 − −
𝑹 𝑻𝟒𝟕𝟎 𝑻𝟒𝟓𝟎
𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟑 𝟏 𝟏
⇒ 𝒆𝒙𝒑 − −
𝟖. 𝟑𝟏𝟒 𝟒𝟕𝟎 𝟒𝟓𝟎
𝒌𝟒𝟕𝟎
= 3.1186
𝒌𝟒𝟓𝟎
Since, Thiele Modulus =𝑀 = 𝐿
, 𝒌𝟒𝟕𝟎
So, = = √3.1186 = 1.7659
, 𝒌𝟒𝟓𝟎
𝑀 , = 1.7659 𝑋 𝑀 ,
𝑀 , = 1.7659 𝑋 0.5 = 0.883
5. The overall rates of an isothermal catalytic reaction using spherical catalyst particles of
diameters 1 mm and 2 mm are rA1 and rA2 (in mol (kg-catalyst) – 1 h – 1), respectively. The
other physical properties of the catalyst particles are identical. If pore diffusion resistance
is very high, the ratio rA2/rA1 is___
Answers: In the regime of strong diffusion resistance-
𝒓𝑨𝟏 𝓔𝟏 𝑴𝑻𝟐 𝑹𝟐
= = =
𝒓𝑨𝟐 𝓔𝟐 𝑴𝑻𝟏 𝑹𝟏
So,
𝒓𝑨𝟐 𝑹𝟏 𝑫𝟏 𝟏
= = = = 𝟎. 𝟓
𝒓𝑨𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑫𝟐 𝟐
6. An experimental rate measurement on the decomposition of A is made with a particular
catalyst (see pertinent data listed below).
(a) Is it likely that film resistance to mass transfer influences the rate?
(b) Could this run have been made in the regime of strong pore diffusion?
(c) Would you expect to have temperature variations within the pellet or across the gas
film?
Data : For the spherical particle:
dp = 2.4mm or L = R/3 =0.4mm =4X 10 - 4 m cat
𝒟 = 5 x 10 -5 m3/hr. m cat (effective mass conductivity)
keff = 1.6 kJ/hr. m cat - K (effective thermal conductivity)
For the gas film surrounding the pellet (from correlations in the literature):
h = 160 kJ/hr. m2 cat K (heat transfer coefficient)
kg = 300 m3/hr. m2 cat (mass transfer coefficient)
For the reaction:
∆𝐻 = -160 kJ/mol A (exothermic)
CAg = 20 mol/m3 (at 1 atm and 336°C)
−𝑟 , = 105 mol/hr . m3 cat
Assume that the reaction is first order.