FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

FINAL ONLINE EXAMINATION

Student ID (in Figures) :

Student Name :

Course Code & Name : EP319/EP327 Reaction Engineering

Semester : May-August 2020
Instructor/Examiner/Lecturer : Dr. Jecksin Ooi
Duration : 3 hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
Five (5) questions set. Attempt ALL questions. (Total = 100 marks)

This question paper consists of 8 pages, including cover page and 4 pages of appendices. Answers
to the questions are to be written in the papers. Candidates are required to upload written answer
in PDF form before the submission deadline. Any late submission will be imposed a penalty of
mark deduction, 2% per minute from total 100%.

Warning:
The University Examination Board of UCSI University regards cheating as a most serious offence
and will not hesitate to mete out the appropriate punitive actions according to the severity of the
offence committed, and in accordance with the clauses stipulated in the Students’ Handbook, up
to and including expulsion from UCSI University.

Page 1 of 8
1. Note: Students are required to obtain the parameters T and x from Appendix E based on their
respective student IDs in order to solve Q1.

Consider the design of a plug flow reactor for a gas phase elementary reaction, A → B. The
specific rate constant for this reaction is 0.003 min-1 at 25 °C. The reaction is to be carried out
isothermally at T °C at constant pressure of 12 atm. The pressure drop in the reactor is
negligible. The production rate of 600 kg h-1 of B is expected at x % conversion. Molecular
weight of B is given as 60 g mol-1. Activation energy is 20 kcal mol-1.
a. Calculate the feed volumetric flow rate.
(10 marks)

b. Calculate the reactor volume to achieve the expected conversion.

(10 marks)

1
2. An elementary, irreversible liquid phase reaction 𝐴 + 𝐵 → 𝐶 + 𝐷 takes place in an
2
adiabatic Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR). The liquid feed containing reactant A and
B together with inert I enter the reactor at a rate of 5 mol min-1, 2 mol min-1 and 4 mol min-1,
respectively at 27°C. The exit temperature at which the reaction is conducted is 360.8K. The
volumetric flow rate through the reactor is constant at 500 dm3 min-1. The data of each
component A, B, C, D and I is reported in Table Q2.

Table Q2 Data of component A, B, C, D and I

Component
Data
A B C D I
o -1
Enthalpy of formation, H i (273 K), kJ mol -40 -20 -80 -20 -50
-1 -1
Constant heat capacity, Cpi, J mol K 80 200 150 170 110

Additional information:
Activation energy E = 25 kcal/mol
Specific reaction rate constant, k = 0.12 dm3/2 mol-1/2 h-1 at 25 oC.

Using the data from Table Q2 and additional information given above,

a. Calculate the conversion of the reaction.

(10 marks)

b. Calculate the CSTR volume and space time required.

(10 marks)

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3. A second order liquid phase reaction A → B takes place in plug flow reactor followed by
continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) arranged in series. The specific reaction rate constant
is 2 L mol-1 h-1 and the feed contains 0.5 mol L-1 of reactant A. Both plug flow reactor and
CSTR have space time of 3 hours.
a. Calculate the conversion exiting the CSTR.
(12 marks)

b. Calculate the final conversion that can be achieved if the reaction takes place in CSTR
followed by plug flow reactor.
(8 marks)

4. The liquid feed containing reactant A enters a well-mixed continuous stirred tank reactor
(CSTR) at a rate of 12 mol min-1 and a volumetric flow rate of 10 dm3 min-1. Reactant A
undergoes three reactions to form product B, C and D where product B is the desired product.
The reactions are given as follows:
• A→B - rA1 = k1CA2 where k1 = 0.002 dm3 mol-1 min-1
• A→C - rA2 = k2CA4 where k2 = 0.02 dm9 mol-3 min-1
• A→D - rA3 = k3CA where k3 = 0.003 min-1
a. Determine the equation for instantaneous selectivity of the desired product.
(2 marks)

b. Calculate the maximum concentration of A that gives the maximum selectivity of the
desired product. Then, determine the maximum selectivity of the product.
(7 marks)

c. Calculate the reactor volume and conversion achieved in the CSTR.

(6 marks)

d. Determine the effluent concentrations of product C and D.

(5 marks)

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5. The gas phase reversible reaction 𝐴 + 𝐵 ↔ 𝐶 over a catalyst followed Eley-Rideal
mechanism.
a. Propose a series of reaction mechanism based on the information given above.
(6 marks)

b. Based on the series of reaction mechanism proposed in Q5(a), develop a rate law by
assuming the surface reaction is the rate controlling step.
(10 marks)

c. If an adsorbing inert were present in the feed, decide if the inert would affect the rate law
developed in Q5(b). Justify your answer with equations.
(4 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

APPENDIX A: LIST OF FORMULA

𝑉 𝑑𝑁𝑗
𝐹𝑗0 − 𝐹𝑗 + ∫ 𝑟𝑗 𝑑𝑉 =
0 𝑑𝑡

𝑘 = 𝐴𝑒 −𝐸𝑎/𝑅𝑇

𝑘1 𝐸𝑎 1 1
= 𝑒𝑥𝑝 [ ( − )]
𝑘2 𝑅 𝑇2 𝑇1

n
Q − Ws − FA0  i C pi T − Ti 0  −FA0 X  H RX

(TR ) + C p (T − TR )  = 0
i =1

APPENDIX B: IDEAL GAS CONSTANT

J kPa.dm 3 . . dm3 .atm

R = 8.314 = 8.314 = 0.082
mol.K mol.K mol.K
cal Btu ft 3 .atm
R = 1.987 = 1.987 = 0 . 73
mol.K lb mol.o R lb mol.o R

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APPENDIX C: UNIT CONVERSION

Quantity Equivalent Values

Mass 1 kg = 1000 g = 0.001 metric ton = 2.20462 lbm = 35.27392 oz

1 lbm = 16 oz = 5 x 10 - 4 ton = 453.593 g = 0.453593 kg

Length 1m = 100 cm = 1000 mm = 106 microns (m) = 1010 angstroms ( A 0 )

= 39.37 in = 3.2808 ft = 1.0936 yd = 0.0006214 mile
1 ft = 12 in = 1/3 yd = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm

Volume 1 m3 = 1000 liters = 106 cm3 = 106 ml

= 35.3145 ft3 = 220.83 imperial gallons = 264.17 gal
= 1056.68 qt
1ft3 = 1728 in3 = 7.4805 gal = 0.028317 m3 = 28.317 liters
= 28 317 cm3

Pressure 1 atm = 1.01325 x 105 N/m2 (Pa) = 101.325 kPa = 1.01325 bars
= 1.01325 x 106 dynes/cm2
= 760 mm Hg at 0C (torr) = 10.333 m H2O at 4C
= 14.696 lbf/in2 (psi) = 33.9 ft H2O at 4C
= 29.921 in Hg at 0C

Temperature T(oF) = 1.8 x T(oC) + 32

T(oR) = T(oF) + 459.69
T(K) = T(oC) + 273.15
T(oR) = 1.8 x T(K)

APPENDIX D: INTEGRALS
x dx 1
0 1 − X = ln 1 − X
x2 dx 1 1
x1 (1 − X) 2 = 1 − X 2 − 1 − X1
x dx X
0 (1 − X) 2 = 1 − X
x dX 1
0 1 + X =  ln(1 + X)
x 1 + X 1
0 1 − X dX = (1 + ) ln 1 − X − X
x 1 + X (1 + )X 1
0 (1 − X) 2 dX = 1 − X −  ln 1 − X
x (1 + X) 2 (1 + ) 2 X
 =  +  − +  +
2
dX 2 (1 ) ln(1 X ) X
0 (1 − X) 2 1− X

Page 5 of 8
APPENDIX E: Parameters T and x for Q1

Parameters
Student ID Temperature, Conversion,
T (°C) x (%)
1001232007 125 85
1001437812 90 82
1001438355 150 70
1001438713 85 90
1001539512 142 75
1001540160 107 60
1001540165 87 78
1001540413 81 68
1001540798 119 61
1001540933 80 60
1001541578 94 81
1001541779 144 72
1001542197 129 63
1001542324 140 58
1001542411 109 54
1001542563 120 45
1001642817 88 86
1001642848 114 83
1001643008 90 73
1001643170 78 65
1001643344 102 54
1001643597 72 62
1001643631 115 42
1001643669 97 84
1001643754 113 91
1001643791 81 87
1001643817 136 77
1001644038 105 71
1001644061 85 59
1001644132 75 51
1001644135 123 86
1001644147 113 53
1001644192 113 62
1001644289 131 83
1001644539 121 76
1001644568 127 74
1001644608 116 69
1001644699 123 56
1001644868 93 55
1001644882 128 48
1001644935 106 47
1001645008 119 46
1001645060 89 55
1001645159 82 79
1001645195 90 68
1001645260 137 54
1001645321 102 81

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 Parameters
Student ID Temperature, Conversion,
T (°C) x (%)
1001645686 96 75
1001645762 76 65
1001746273 100 80
1001746442 85 57
1001746538 107 63
1001746562 126 73
1001746588 83 62
1001746648 126 82
1001746670 70 74
1001746682 120 60
1001746726 72 52
1001746787 147 58
1001746883 129 62
1001746885 81 81
1001746902 123 56
1001746907 105 84
1001747020 124 57
1001747074 144 66
1001747083 96 61
1001747169 115 71
1001747218 136 59
1001747282 86 66
1001747314 147 64
1001747474 129 72
1001747508 95 86
1001747521 102 84
1001747544 105 71
1001747637 98 60
1001747677 140 62
1001747755 106 80
1001747825 124 75
1001747848 97 74
1001747880 71 68
1001747890 112 65
1001748091 73 57
1001748107 98 77
1001748246 132 87
1001748255 84 67
1001748263 103 84
1001748359 88 83
1001748412 95 74
1001748423 76 73
1001748528 80 53
1001748641 74 58
1001748761 85 64
1001748943 106 76
1001849315 116 71
1001849336 123 61
1001849527 92 59
1001849638 161 60
1001849733 137 63

Page 7 of 8
 Parameters
Student ID Temperature, Conversion,
T (°C) x (%)
1001849799 104 82
1001850131 142 87
1001850251 83 54
1001850471 73 69
1001850522 149 76
1001850634 104 85
1001850775 87 70
1001850816 138 65
1001850871 126 61
1001850879 112 54
1001851034 143 70
1001851319 103 73
1001851385 134 62
1001851420 104 69
1001851448 124 80
1001851476 119 84
1001851621 77 70
1001851760 80 73
1001851933 118 65
1001851942 70 55
1001851949 149 88
1001852027 89 60
1001852075 133 77
1001852138 142 59
1001852505 129 63
1001852608 134 75
1001852815 103 55
1001852950 95 65
1301643808 118 85

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