Question: Determine the catalyst weight necessary to achieve 50% conversion when ethylene oxide is to be made by the vapor-phase catalytic oxidation of ethylene with air:

 Determine the catalyst weight necessary to achieve 50% conversion when ethylene

Determine the catalyst weight necessary to achieve 50% conversion when ethylene oxide is to be made by the vapor-phase catalytic oxidation of ethylene with air: C2H4+0.5O2A+0.5BCH2OCH2C Ethylene and oxygen (in air) are fed in stoichiometric proportions to a packed-bed reactor isothermally at 260C. Ethylene is fed at a rate of 0.30lbmol/s at a pressure of 10atm. It is proposed to use 10 banks of 1.5 in-diameter schedule 40 tubes packed with catalyst with 100 tubes per bank. Consequently, the molar flow rate to each tube is to be 3104lbmol/s. The properties of the reacting fluid are to be considered identical to those of air at this temperature and pressure. The density of the catalyst particles is 120lb/ft3 and the bed void fraction is 0.40. The rate law is rA=k(PA)1/3(PB)2/3lbmol/(lbcathr), with k=0.0141lbmol/(atm1b cat.hr) at 260C. The pressure drop along the reactor can be neglected. Note: Show the differential equation that needs to be solved. If you use MATLAB to solve the differential equation, submit your MATLAB code along with your solution

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

1 Expert Approved Answer
Step: 1 Unlock blur-text-image
Question Has Been Solved by an Expert!

Get step-by-step solutions from verified subject matter experts

Step: 2 Unlock
Step: 3 Unlock

Students Have Also Explored These Related Chemical Engineering Questions!