ENG241 Principles of Process Engineering Mid-Semester Test

May 15 th 2012

MID-SEMESTER TEST
(CLOSED BOOK)
(READING TIME 10 MINUTES & WORKING TIME 60 MINUTES)
PROBLEM 1 (30 MARKS)
The reaction AB is carried out in a laboratory reactor. It is found that the concentration of A
varies with time as follows: C A C A0 exp( kt) , where CA0 is the initial concentration of A in the
reactor and k is a constant.
i.

If CA is in lb-moles/ft3 and t is in minutes, what are the units of CA0 and k? (5 marks)

ii.

In order to develop the above equation, a student measured CA in lb-moles/ft3 against t

in minutes, then determined CA0 and k by linear regression. This student found that the
value of CA0 was 1.286 and the value of k was 0.414. What would this student have
plotted versus what on what kind of coordinates? What would he/she have obtained as
the slope and intercept of his/her plot? (10 marks)

iii.

The teacher insisted that the formula be given for the concentration in mol/L as a
function of t in seconds (s). Derive the formula then calculate the concentration at time
200s. (15 marks)

PROBLEM 2 (35 MARKS)

F4
H2
F1

F2

F5

F3
Reactor

Absorber

C3H6

C3H8
F6
80% C3H8
20% C3H6

Recycle

The process shown in the above figure is the dehydrogenation of propane (C3H8) to propylene
(C3H6) according to the reaction: C3 H 8 C3 H 6 H 2
The conversion of propane to propylene based on the total propane feed into the reactor at F2
is 40%. The product flowrate F5 is 50 kgmol/h.
i.

Perform the degree of freedom analysis on the overall system. (5 marks)

Page 1

ENG241 Principles of Process Engineering Mid-Semester Test

May 15 th 2012

ii.

Perform the atomic balance on the overall system to calculate F 1 and F4 first, then
calculate all flowrates F2, F3 and F6 in kgmol/h. (20 marks)

iii.

What is the percent conversion of proprane in the reactor based on the fresh propane
fed to the process (F1)? (5 marks)

iv.

If there is no recycle stream, calculate the fresh propane fed to the process (F1) to
make 50 kgmol/h of product (F5). (5 marks)

PROBLEM 3 (35 MARKS)

Water is being pumped from a well to a tank 60 m above the well at a constant rate of 750
kg/h. To prevent freezing in the water a small heater puts 9 kW into the water during its
transfer from the well to the tank. Heat is lost from the whole system at a constant rate of 7.5
kW. A 1.5 kW pump is used to pump the water.
i.

Write the overall energy balance on the above open system. (5 marks)

ii.

Calculate the rates of kinetic energy k and potential energy P being transported to
or from the system in kJ/h. (10 marks)

iii.

Calculate the net rate at which energy is transferred to the system as heat (Q) and
work (W) kJ/h. (10 marks)

iv.

Calculate the temperature of water as it enters the tank if the water temperature at the
well is 8C. Assume that water has a constant heat capacity Cp = 4.18 kJ/(kgC). (10
marks)

NOTE
a. The heat required to raise the temperature of m (kg) of water from T 1 to T2 can be
C p (T2 T1 )
given by the following formula: H m
b. In developing the overall energy balance, the energy being transferred to the system
as work and heat should be added to the system to balance the change in enthalpy,
potential and kinetic energies.

INFORMATION
Quantity
Equivalent Values
3
Volume
1 ft = 28.317 L
Mass
1 kg = 1000 g = 2.20462 lb
1 kgmol = 1000 mol = 2.20462 lb-moles
Energy
1J = 1N.m = 1kg.m2/s2

g 9.81m / s 2

Page 2

ENG241 Principles of Process Engineering Mid-Semester Test

May 15 th 2012

Solution
Problem 1 (30 marks)
i.

The unit of CA0 is lb-moles/ft3. As (kt) is dimensionless so the unit of k is min-1. (5 marks)

ii.

Plot ln(CA) versus t in rectangular coordinates. The slope is -0.414 and the intercept is
ln(1.286) = 0.251. (10 marks)

iii.

(15 marks)

Define new variables CA[ m3 ], and t[s]

1min
t min t ' s
0.01667t '
60s
lb moles
mol 2.20462lb moles 28.317 L
CA
CA '
0.0624C A '

ft
1000mol
1 ft 3
L

lb moles
0.414
1.286 exp( 0.414t ) 0.0624C A ' 1.286 exp(
C A
t')
3
ft
60

C A ' 20.6 exp( 0.00693t ' )

t 200s C A ' 20.6 exp( 0.00693 * 200) 5.15

mol
L

Problem 2 (35 marks)

F4

F3
n3-C3H8
n3-C3H6
n3-H2

F2

F1

n2-C3H8
n2-C3H6

Reactor

H2
F5
Absorber

C3H6

C3H8
F6
80% C3H8
20% C3H6

Recycle

Page 3

ENG241 Principles of Process Engineering Mid-Semester Test

May 15 th 2012

i.
Overall system

ii.

2 unknowns (F1, F4)

2 atomic balances (H, C)
0 DF

Given F5 50kgmol / h
Atomic balance on the overall system
C balance: 3F1 3F5 F1 50kgmol / h
H balance: 8F1 6F5 2F4 F4 0.5(8F1 6F5 ) 50kgmol / h

If F4 is known then the balance on the absorber can be solved using the given conversion 40%. F4
contains only H2, F5 contains only C3H6 and there is no H2 in F6.
n3 H 2 F4 50kgmol / h

Number of moles of C3H8 un-reacted is n3C 3 H 8

50 * 0.6
75kgmol / h
0.4

Number of moles of C3H8 fed to reactor is n2C 3 H 8

50
125kgmol / h
0.4

C3H8 mole balance around the mixing point

F1 0.8F6 n2C 3H 8 50 0.8F6 125 F6

125 50
93.75kgmol / h
0.8

C3H6 mole balance around the mixing point

0.2F6 F2 n2C 3H 8 F2 0.2F6 n2C 3H 8 0.2 * 93.75 125 143.75kgmol / h

Alternatively, total mole balance around the mixing point F2 F1 F6 50 93.75 143.75kgmol / h
F3 F4 F5 F6 50 50 93.75 193.75kgmol / h

iii.

The percent conversion of propane based on the fresh is 100%.

iv.

If there is no recycle stream, 125 kgmol/h of fresh propane is required to make 50 kgmol/h of
propylene.

Page 4

ENG241 Principles of Process Engineering Mid-Semester Test

May 15 th 2012

Problem 3 (35 marks)

i.

Overall energy balance on the open system is: H E P E k Q W

ii.

Since water is pumped at a constant rate or constant velocity, the kinetic energy is

E k

m 2
(u2 u12 ) 0
2

The potential energy is E P m g ( z2 z1 ) 750

E P 441450

iii.

iv.

kg
m
9.81 2 (60 0)m
h
s

kg.m 2 1
J
kJ
441450 441.45
2
s h
h
h

1 kJ 3600s
kJ
The energy being transferred to the system as heat is Q (9 7.5)kW
5400
1kW s 1h
h
1 kJ 3600s
kJ
The energy being transferred to the system as work is W 1.5kW
5400
1kW s 1h
h
kJ
Substitute in the energy balance: H 441.45 5400 5400 H 10358.55
h
C p (T2 T1 ) (T2 T1 )
H m

H
kJ 1h kgC
10358.55
3.3C
m C p
h 750kg 4.18kJ

T2 3.3C T1 11.3C

Page 5