Question: Ethanol can be produced using a chemical reaction by starting with the hydrocarbon ethylene. The hydration of ethylene ( C 2 H 4 + H

Ethanol can be produced using a chemical reaction by starting with the hydrocarbon ethylene. The hydration of ethylene (C2H4+ H20-> C2H5OH) creates ethanol, but some of the ethanol is converted to diethyl ether by a second reaction (2 C2H5OH ->(C2H5)20+ H20).
The feed to the reactor contains a gas mixture of ethylene and water at 225\deg C. Ethylene enters at 138 mol/hr, and water enters at 305 mol/h. The fractional conversion of ethylene is 71.2%. The selectivity, which is defined as the ratio of ethanol production to diethyl ether production, is 2.83.
* A : Draw and label a process flow diagram. Clearly number each stream.
* B : Calculate the component molar flow rates (mol/h) of the stream exiting the reactor.
* C : Calculate the fractional yield of ethanol (ratio of ethanol produced to the ethylene consumed).
* D : Emmanuel, a clever engineer, adjusts the reactor conditions to double the selectivity. Will the molar flow rate of water exiting the reactor increase, decrease, or stay the same?

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