Ethyl acetate is an extensively used solvent and can be formed by the vapor-phase esterification of acetic acid and ethanol.

                        CH₃COOH + C₂H₅OH ® C₄H₈O₂ + H₂O

The reaction was studied using a microporous resin as a catalyst in a packed-bed reactor. The reaction is first-order in ethanol and pseudo-zero-order in acetic acid. For an equal molar feed rate of acetic acid and ethanol the specific reaction rate is 2.2 L/g cat×min. The total molar feed rate is 10 mol/min, the initial pressure is 10 atm, the temperature is 118^oC, and the pressure drop parameter, a, equals 0.01 g^-1.

a) Calculate the maximum weight of catalyst that one could use and maintain an exit pressure above 1 atm.

b) Determine the catalyst weight necessary to achieve 90% conversion. What is the ratio of catalyst needed to achieve the last 5% (85 to 90%) conversion to the weight necessary to achieve the first 5% conversion (0 to 5%) in the reactor.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Solutions D TA KCACB kCA 3D Isothermal 0 and P Po10 therefore P ... View the full answer