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 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
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