Consider the following reaction^afor the production of benzene via the homogeneous thermal dealkylation of toluene in the temperature range 700°C to 950°C:

where the concentrations of reactants are in mol/L reactor and the temperature is in K. The heat of reaction is −52.0 kJ/mol (at 900°C) and −50.5 kJ/mol (at 700°C), and the average specific heats of the reactor feed and effluent are 3.3216 kJ/kg/K (at 950°C) and 3.042 kJ/kg/K (700°C).

1. If feed enters the reactor at 700°C and 25 bar, solve the material and energy balances for a plug flow reactor to determine the volume of reactor needed to give 90% conversion of toluene. The feed to the reactor comprises 80 kmol/h of toluene and 320 kmol/h of hydrogen. Plot the conversion and temperature profiles in the reactor.

2. Compare your results for Part (a) with the results from a commercial simulator. Use the Soave-Redlich-Kwong and latent heat methods for the vapor-liquid equilibrium and enthalpy packages, respectively.

Transcribed Image Text:

C7H8+ H₂ → C6H6 + CH4 benzene toluene 25,614 0.5 -Ttol = 3.0 × 10¹0 e Ctoc [mol/m³ of reactor/s] TIK CH₂