Additional Homework Problems

CDP10-PB

The reaction of cyclopentane to form n-pentane and coke was carried out over a palladium-alumina catalyst at 290°C [J. Catal., 54, 397 (1998)]. The following conversion-time data were obtained in a constant-volume batch reactor for a catalyst concentration of 0.01 kg/m3 and initial reactant concentration of 0.03 kmol/m3.

t(min)   0     10     20     40     70     100     150     200     300     500     800     1200  
% X     0     1.7     3.4     6.6     11     15     21.5     27.2     37.1     53.9     74.6     88.3  

The following data were obtained in a differential reactor operated under the same conditions as the batch reactor above. The molar flow rate was 1.5 * 10-5 kmol/min and the weight of catalyst in the reactor was 2 g.

t(min)   0     20     40     80     120     180     250     350     500     800     1200  
% X     75     70.7     67     60.5     55.2     48.7     42     36     30     22     16.3  
  1. Determine the reaction order with respect to cyclopentane and the specific reaction rate constant.

  2. Determine the order of decay and the decay constant.

  3. If this reaction is to be carried out in a moving-bed reactor in which pure cyclopentane is fed at a rate of 2 kmol/min and the catalyst at 1 kg/min, what weight of catalyst in the reactor is necessary to achieve 90% conversion of cyclopentane?

  4. How would your answer to part (c) change if the catalyst feed rate were cut in half?

[3rd Ed. P10-24]