Question

The dehydration butanol of alumina is carried out over a silica alumina catalyst at 680 K.
CH3CH2CH2CH2OH ? CH3 CH = CHCH3 + H2O
The rate law is
??????? =
????????
(1 + ???????????? )2
with k = 0.065 mol/gcat•h•atm and KBu = 0.42 atm-1. R = 0.082 dm3-atm/mol/K.
Pure butanol enters a thin tubed packed-bed reactor at a molar flow rate 50 kmol/hr and a
pressure of 10 atm (l013 kPa).
(a) What PBR catalyst weight is necessary to achieve 80% conversion in the absence
of pressure drop? Plot and analyze X, y, f (i.e., (v/v0)) and reaction rate, -rA, as a
function of catalyst weight.
(b) What " fluidized CSTR" catalyst weight is necessary to achieve 80% conversion?
(c) Repeat (a) when there is pressure drop, with the pressure drop parameter ? =
0.00055 kg-1• Do you observe a maximum in the rate of reaction, and if so, why?
(d) What catalyst weight is necessary to achieve 70% conversion? Compare this weight
with that for no pressure drop to achieve the same conversion.
Write down why this reaction is important. Talk about the reaction process. What
does the rate law talk about? Use both excel and polymath. Give concluding
remarks of each problem. Careful with the units.
Have a project cover page.
Max catalyst wt 1.4X106 gm.

Answer 1