Hydrogen chloride gas, produced by burning chlorine with hydrogen, is required at a supply pressure of 600 kN/m², gauge. The pressure can be achieved by either operating the burner under pressure or by compressing the hydrogen chloride gas. For a production rate of hydrogen chloride of 10,000 kg/h, compare the power requirement of compressing the hydrogen supply to the burner with that to compress the product hydrogen chloride. The chlorine feed is supplied at the required pressure from a vaporizer. Both the hydrogen and chlorine feeds are essentially pure. Hydrogen is supplied to the burner one percent excess of the stoichiometric requirement. 

A two-stage centrifugal compressor will be used for both duties. Take the polytropic efficiency for both compressors as 70 per cent. The hydrogen supply pressure is 120 kN/m² and the temperature 25°C. The hydrogen chloride is cooled to 50°C after leaving the burner. Assume that the compressor intercooler cools the gas to 50°C, for both duties. 

Which process would you select and why?