Additional Homework Problems

CDP10-NB

Catalytic reforming is carried out to make hydrocarbons more branched, and in some cases cyclic, in order to increase the octane number of gasoline (Recent Developments in Chemical Process and Plant Design, Y. A. Liu, A. A. McGee, and W. R. Epperly, Eds., Wiley, New York, 1987, p.33). A hydrocarbon feed stream is passed through a reforming catalytic reactor containing platinum-on-alumina catalyst. The following data were obtained from measurements on the exit stream of the reactor at various times since fresh catalyst was placed in the reactor.

t(h)   0     35     100     200     300     500  
Research Octane Number     106     102     99.7     98     96     94  

Model the reactor as a fluidized-be CSTR. The following temperature-time trajectory was implemented to offset the decay.

t(h)   0     175     250     500  
T(°C)     500     515     520     530  
  1. If possible, determine a decay law and a decay constant.

  2. What parameters, if any, can be estimated from the temperature-time trajectory?

  3. Why do you think the data were reported in terms of RON?

[3rd Ed. P10-20]