Question

Ethylene oxide is produced from the reaction of ethylene and oxygen at 270-290 °C and 8-20 atm. In order to prevent potentially dangerous pressure buildups, the container in which this reaction takes place has a safety valve set to release gas when the pressure reaches 25 atm. If a 15-m3 reaction vessel contains 7.8 × 103 moles of gas, at what temperature will the pressure reach 25 atm? (There are 103 L per m3.)

Answer 1

WE CAN CALCULATE THE TEMP. IN KELVIN TO REACH THE 25 ATM PRESSURE BY USING IDEAL GAS EQUATION,

PV=nRT, R= 0.08206 L atm

THEN we can calculate T=PV/nR,

BY PUTTING THE VALUES TO THE EQUATION,

T=25 atm/7800 moles=0.003205 K MOL (P/n)

T=0.003205/0.08206 L atm=0.03905 V/R)

T=15000 L/1=15000*0.03905=585.87 K , (312.72 ⁰ C)

THERE FORE 585.87 K temp. is required to reach 25 atm pressure.

so , we have to maintain reaction temp. of ethylene oxide reaction below 312.72 ⁰ c, otehrwise safety valve will be opened.