ChE 471

Fall 2005
Exam 1
Closed Book, Closed Notes, One crib sheet allowed

Problem 1
The decomposition of acetaldehyde is assumed to follow a multi-step mechanism listed below.
CH 3CHO k 1 CH 3 CHO
CH 3 CH 3CHO k 2 CH 3 CO CH 4
CHO CH 3CHO k 3 CH 3 2CO H 2
2CH 3 k 4 C2 H 6

On the basis of the above mechanism, derive a rate expression for the rate of disappearance of
acetaldehyde.
Can the rate be expressed in terms of a power law model? If so, when, and state the apparent
order of reaction.
Assume all the above steps are irreversible.
Hint: This is a catalytic chain mechanism. Use the PSSA and set the rate of the two active
intermediates to be zero and remember that the rates of propagation steps (steps 2 and 3) are
many times larger than those of initiation (step 1) or termination (step 4), so the latter ones can
be neglected sometimes. However, the difference in rates of the propoagation steps cannot be
neglected compared to termination or initiation rates. .
Problem 2
For a liquid phase reaction products you have measured reactant concentration as a function
of time in an isothermal, batch reactor and the data are given below:

t (min)
0
10 20 40
C A, mol / m3 1000 500 333 200

The reaction is now to be carried out in a back-mixed reactor (CSTR) of 2m3 volume and the
feed rate is 0.1m3/sec. The inlet concentration of A is 500 mol/m3. Find the conversion in this
reactor.
To improve the conversion, a second reactor of equal volume is added in series. What is the
conversion now at the end of second reactor?

Problem 3
Gas-phase dimerization reaction , 2A P , was studied in a batch autoclave at constant volume
and at constant temperature of 440C. The information obtained for the total pressure in the
reactor as a function of time is shown below.
t sec
0
100 200 300 400 500
Pressure, kPa 82.7 71.1 64.0 60.4 56.7 54.8

Determine the order of reaction and the rate constant. Assume the starting mixture is pure A.
For a feed with 50% A and 50% inerts at a total initial pressure of 82.7 kPa, calculate the final
pressure.
Problem 4
The reaction, A P, is autocatalytic with rate form given as:
R A 2C AC P ( mol / L min)

We want to design a reactor to make FP = 100 (mol/min) of P at 90% conversion of A of the feed
that contains CA0= 1 (mol/L).
You want to minimize the reactor volume needed to achieve the above production rate at the
conversion specified above. To gain insight, plot the rate (or its reciprocal) as a function of
conversion in the conversion range from 0 to 0.9.
a) What reactor type or reactor combinations do you recommend and why?
b) What is the needed total reactor(s) size?
The production rate is

FP = FAo XAf

where XAf is the exit (or final) conversion.