Additional Homework Problems

P12-28B

The formation of styrene from vinylacetylene is essentially irreversible and follows an elementary rate law:

2 vinylacetylene styrene
2A B

  1. Determine the conversion achieved in a 10 dm3 PFR for an entering temperature of 675 K. Plot the temperature and conversion down the length (volume) of the reactor.

  2. Vary the entering temperature and plot the conversion as a function of entering temperature

  3. Vary the ambient temperature in the heat exchanger and find the maximum ambient temperature at which runaway will not occur in the reactor.

  4. Compare your answers with the case when the reaction is carried out adiabatically.

  5. Repeat part B assuming that the reaction is reversible, KC = 100,000 at 675 K. In addition, a stream of inerts (CP1 = 100 J/(mol °C)), with FI = 3 FA0, enters the reactor. Plot the conversion as a function of the entering temperature. Is there a maximum? If so, why? If not, why not?

  6. Ask another question or suggest another calculation that can be made for this problem.

Additional Information

CA0 = 1 mol/dm3

Ua = 5 kJ/(s dm3)/K

FAo = 5 mol/s

Ta = 700 K

HRX = -231 - 0.012(T - 298) kJ/mol

CPA = 0.12222 kJ/(mol K)

k = 1.48 * 1011 exp(-19124/T) dm3/(mol s) T0 = 675 K

[3rd Ed. P8-9]