CRE-II Tutorial – 5 06-09-2023 .
Note: Each ques on from 1 to 5 carries 2 marks each.
1. For an exothermic reaction in a packed bed with a heat exchanger which of the following pattern of radial
heat and mass movement is correct. (Give Reason/Explanation)
A. Heat flows inward, Reactant and Product flows outward.
B. Heat flows outward, Reactant and Product flows inward.
C. Heat flows outward, Reactant flows inward and Product flows outward.
D. Heat flows outward, Reactant flows outward and Product flows inward.
Solution: C.
Explanation:
2. Select the incorrect statement. (Give Reason/Explanation)
A. In passing through fixed bed, gasses approximate plug flow pattern.
B. Temperature control in Fixed Bed is difficult compared to that of Fluidized Bed in a reactor.
C. For fast reactions, Fluidized Bed will allow effective use of catalysts compared to Fixed Bed.
D. In case of reaction explosive in nature and product distribution consideration Fixed Bed is favoured.
Solution: D.
Explanation: The statement D. is incorrect. As Fluidized Bed allows easy control of temperature compared to
fixed Bed. So, Temperature control in the Fixed Bed is difficult, therefore for reaction explosive in nature and
product distribution consideration, Fluidized Bed is favoured.
3. For solid-catalysed gas phase reversible reaction, which of the following statement is always true?
A. Adsorption is rate limiting. (Give Reason/Explanation)
B. Desorption is rate limiting.
C. Temperature does not affect the equilibrium conversion.
D. Solid catalyst does not affect the equilibrium conversion.
Solution: D.
Explanation: Both Adsorption or desorption could be rate limiting in solid catalysed reaction. So, option
A. and B. need not be true. The position of equilibrium is not changed by the presence of catalysts.
4. In a Packed Bed reactor, decomposition of a gas ‘A’ is been caried out in a solid catalysed reaction
and the reaction is diffusion limited. Keeping the fluid properties and the particle diameter constant, if
the superficial velocity of the gas stream passed through the bed is increased by 8 times the initial
velocity, then which of the following statement will be correct regarding the rate, -rA’’ (mol/s-m2) for
a fixed CA? (Give Reason/Explanation)
A. -rA’’ will increases by 4 times.
B. -rA’’ will increases by 2√2 times.
C. -rA’’ will decreases by 2√2 times.
D. -rA’’ will decreases by 4 times.
Solution: B.
Explanation: For diffusion-limited reactions in a packed Bed, the rate of reaction depends on superficial
velocity and particle diameter. For gas-phase catalytic reactions From Frossling correlation, we have mass
transfer coefficient as,
For a Fixed Concentration of ‘A’, constant Fluid property and catalyst particle diameters,
kc∝ U1/2
-rA’’∝ kc CA ∝ U1/2 (Fixed conc Ca)
Therefore, if the superficial velocity U is increased by 8 times, then rate -r A’’ will also increase by √8 or
2√2 times.
5. A single adiabatic packed bed system with recycle ratio one for 80% conversion of a feed consisting
1 mol of A and 7 mol of inert. Reactor is to be designed to treat 100 mol/s of reactant A and produce
product R. The ideal gases enter at 2.49 MPa and 300 K, but requires a preheating of 9.6 MW before
finally entering into the reactor, the temperature of the exit stream from the reactor is 800 K, the
product stream is wanted at 300 K, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of the exothermic reaction
are given bellow.
𝐴 ↔ 𝑅, ∆𝐻 = −80,000 𝐽/𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐴
𝑚𝑜𝑙
−𝑟 = 𝑘 𝐶 − 𝑘 𝐶 ,
𝑘𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑡. 𝑠
Given: Cp = 40 J/mol. K for all materials, and at all temperatures.
A. Determine the slope of the adiabatic line……………………………..
Solution:
Total moles entering = 8 mol (1mol A+ 7 mol inerts)
Therefore, Cp= (40 J/mol-K) × (8 mol) = 320 J/K
Slope of the adiabatic line = = =
∆ ,
B. The temperature of the feed stream to the reactor is …………………..K.
Solution:
The preheating required is given,
Therefore, n Cp 𝛥𝑇 = 9.6×106 J/s
n= total mole flow rate = 800 mol/s, Cp = 40 J/mol-K
Let’s say the temperature of the feed stream to the reactor be Tf,
So,
9.6 𝑋 10^6
ΔT = Tf - 300 = = 300 K
800 𝑋 40
=> Tf = 600 K
C. The heat duty after the reactor is………………………………MW.
Solution:
The product stream leaves the reactor at 800 K and must be cooled to 300 K,
Thus,
n Cp 𝛥𝑇 = 800 X 40 X (300 - 800) = 16 MW