CHEE 321: CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING

TUTORIAL #9 SOLUTIONS

[Fogler, Problem 8.13]

The liquid-phase reaction
A+BC+D
is carried out adiabatically in a series of staged packed-bed reactors with inter-stage cooling. The
lowest temperature to which the reactant stream may be cooled is 27C (300 K). The feed is equal
molar in A and B and the catalyst weight in each reactor is sufficient to achieve 99.9% (essentially
100%) of the equilibrium conversion. The feed enters at 27C (300 K) and the reaction is carried out
adiabatically. If four reactors and three coolers are available, what may be achieved?
Additional information
Hrxn = -30,000 cal/mol

CpA = CpB = CpC = CpD = 25 cal/mol K

Ke (50C) = 500,000

FA0 = 10 mol A/min

Solution
X2=?
T=27C

X4=?=Xtot
T=27C

FAO=10 molA/min
T=27C

X1=?
T=27C

Assume:
-Steady State
-Perfect Radial Mixing
-Constant Density

X3=?
T=27C

Solving where Xe = XEB:

Xe
GMBE
XEB
EB
For Xe,
In the following order, you
1- Write the equilibrium expression in terms of A
2- Write the stoichiometry table
3- Determine the equilibrium constant

1) From thermodynamics, we know that at equilibrium, the following relationship must be satisfied
K e=

C De C Ce
C Ae C Be

2) Setup stoichiometric table (v = vo)

Component
A
B
C
D

Initial
FA0
FB0
FC0
FD0

Change
-FA0X
-FA0X
FA0X
FA0X

With,
B=1 C=0 D=0
Express Ke as function of the conversion X and solve for X

Final
FA = FA0(1-X)
FB = FA0(1-X)
FC = FA0X
FD = FA0X

Final
CA = CA0(1-X)
CB = CA0(1-X)
CC = CA0X
CD = CA0X

Kc =

C A2 0 X 2
C A2 0 (1 X )

X2

(1 X )

X2

Kc =

(1 X )

Kc =

X
(1 X )

1 X =

1=

X
Kc

X
X
Kc

1= X
+1
K

1+ K c
1= X

Kc

X=

3 - The equilibrium constant

a) Calculate Cp and then Ke(T)
Cp = 0
and therefore

Kc
K c +1

with X e (T ) =

K e (T )
K e ( T ) +1

o
H rxn
1 1
K e (T ) = K (T1 ) exp

R T1 T

30,000 cal/mol 1
1
K e (T ) = 500,000exp

1.987 cal/mol-K 323K T

T 323
K e (T ) = 500,000exp 46.74

And now we can substitute the expression for Ke into that for Xe

T 323
500,000exp 46.74

X e (T ) =

T 323
500,000exp 46.74
+ 1
T

For XEB,
All we need is a conversion expression:
For an adiabatic reaction, energy balance reduces to
X EB =

X EB =

50
X EB =

Cpi(T T )
i

H Rx (TR )

( Cp A +CpB )(T To )
H Rx (TR )

cal
(T 300 ) K 50 (T 300 )
mol K
=
cal
30000
30,000
mol

X EB =

T 300
600

Now that we have an expression for XEB, we can calculate the equilibrium conversion in each reactor
and these values can be calculated using Excel.

NOTE: To calculate Xe for reactor #2, the temperature was determined for
XEB2 = (T-300)/600 + Xe1 = Xe2 and so on for the other 2 reactors.
There are two techniques you can use to solve this system on Excel:
1) Solver Function
2) Graph and Table
Setting up a solver function on Excel, the solution for Xe=XEB
T
474.2806
445.5677
423.0069
397.1583

Xe
0.290468
0.53308
0.738091
0.900023

Xeb1
Solver (Xe-Xeb = 0)
0.290468
-1.8E-07
0.533081
-6.2E-07
0.738092
-9.7E-07
0.900022
8.78E-07

Using the Graph and Table Approach,

Table of Values:
Reactor1
T
K(T)
Xe
Xeb1
Xeb2
Xeb3
Xeb4
300
17997859.24 0.999764
0 0.290468 0.533081 0.738092
301
15226928.07 0.999744 0.001667 0.292134 0.534747 0.739759
302
12896878.04 0.999722 0.003333 0.293801 0.536414 0.741425
303
10935357.36 0.999698
0.005 0.295468 0.538081 0.743092
304
9282239.28 0.999672 0.006667 0.297134 0.539747 0.744759
305
7887498.589 0.999644 0.008333 0.298801 0.541414 0.746425
306
6709466.812 0.999614
0.01 0.300468 0.543081 0.748092
307
5713396.792 0.999582 0.011667 0.302134 0.544747 0.749759
308
4870280.44 0.999547 0.013333 0.303801 0.546414 0.751425
309
4155873.864 0.99951
0.015 0.305468 0.548081 0.753092
310
3549892.551 0.99947 0.016667 0.307134 0.549747 0.754759
311
3035346.203 0.999426 0.018333 0.308801 0.551414 0.756425
312
2597988.352 0.99938
0.02 0.310468 0.553081 0.758092
313
2225860.437 0.99933 0.021667 0.312134 0.554747 0.759759
314
1908913.722 0.999277 0.023333 0.313801 0.556414 0.761425
315
1638695.402 0.999219
0.025 0.315468 0.558081 0.763092
316
1408087.733 0.999158 0.026667 0.317134 0.559747 0.764759
317
1211090.979 0.999092 0.028333 0.318801 0.561414 0.766425
318
1042642.629 0.999022
0.03 0.320468 0.563081 0.768092
319
898466.6635 0.998946 0.031667 0.322134 0.564747 0.769759
320
774947.7428 0.998865 0.033333 0.323801 0.566414 0.771425
321
669026.0859 0.998779
0.035 0.325468 0.568081 0.773092
322
578109.5467 0.998687 0.036667 0.327134 0.569747 0.774759
323
500000 0.998588 0.038333 0.328801 0.571414 0.776425

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432831.6439
375019.2392
325214.6413
282270.2595
245208.311
213194.9238
185518.3044
161570.3134
140830.9036
122854.9627
107261.1785
93722.60808
81958.68192
71728.41909
62824.66451
55069.19026
48308.52753
42410.41726
37260.78495
32761.15998
28826.47238
25383.17008
22367.60885
19724.67414
17406.60058
15371.95986
13584.79232
12013.86128
10632.01213
9415.621184
8344.121266
7399.593008
6566.412554
5830.947607
5181.295004
4607.053966
4099.130037
3649.565423
3251.392079
2898.504387
2585.548752
2307.827783
2061.217078
1842.09291
1647.269334

0.998482
0.99837
0.99825
0.998121
0.997985
0.997839
0.997684
0.997518
0.997342
0.997155
0.996956
0.996744
0.996519
0.99628
0.996026
0.995757
0.995471
0.995168
0.994846
0.994506
0.994145
0.993763
0.993358
0.99293
0.992477
0.991999
0.991493
0.990959
0.990395
0.989799
0.989171
0.988509
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0.987074
0.986298
0.985481
0.984621
0.983716
0.982765
0.981764
0.980713
0.979608
0.978449
0.977231
0.975954

0.04
0.041667
0.043333
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0.051667
0.053333
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0.061667
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0.065
0.066667
0.068333
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0.071667
0.073333
0.075
0.076667
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0.081667
0.083333
0.085
0.086667
0.088333
0.09
0.091667
0.093333
0.095
0.096667
0.098333
0.1
0.101667
0.103333
0.105
0.106667
0.108333
0.11
0.111667
0.113333

0.330468
0.332134
0.333801
0.335468
0.337134
0.338801
0.340468
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0.360468
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0.377134
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0.380468
0.382134
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0.385468
0.387134
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0.390468
0.392134
0.393801
0.395468
0.397134
0.398801
0.400468
0.402134
0.403801

0.573081
0.574747
0.576414
0.578081
0.579747
0.581414
0.583081
0.584747
0.586414
0.588081
0.589747
0.591414
0.593081
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0.603081
0.604747
0.606414
0.608081
0.609747
0.611414
0.613081
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0.616414
0.618081
0.619747
0.621414
0.623081
0.624747
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0.628081
0.629747
0.631414
0.633081
0.634747
0.636414
0.638081
0.639747
0.641414
0.643081
0.644747
0.646414

0.778092
0.779759
0.781425
0.783092
0.784759
0.786425
0.788092
0.789759
0.791425
0.793092
0.794759
0.796425
0.798092
0.799759
0.801425
0.803092
0.804759
0.806425
0.808092
0.809759
0.811425
0.813092
0.814759
0.816425
0.818092
0.819759
0.821425
0.823092
0.824759
0.826425
0.828092
0.829759
0.831425
0.833092
0.834759
0.836425
0.838092
0.839759
0.841425
0.843092
0.844759
0.846425
0.848092
0.849759
0.851425

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397.1583
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1473.943455
1319.647764
1182.208594
1059.709904
950.4616632
852.9722492
765.9243288
688.1537684
618.6311818
556.445775
500.7911936
450.9531155
406.2983682
366.265376
330.3557704
298.127017
269.1859322
243.1829777
219.8072386
198.7819983
179.8608378
162.8241965
147.4763354
133.6426571
121.1673366
109.911228
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67.9999
61.86245033
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51.27172839
46.70968201
42.57319218
38.82079164
35.41522111
32.32298577
29.51396017
26.96103613
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0.974614
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0.867106
0.8617
0.856137
0.850419
0.844544
0.838512
0.832323
0.825978
0.819477

0.115
0.116667
0.118333
0.12
0.121667
0.123333
0.125
0.126667
0.128333
0.13
0.131667
0.133333
0.135
0.136667
0.138333
0.14
0.141667
0.143333
0.145
0.146667
0.148333
0.15
0.151667
0.153333
0.155
0.156667
0.158333
0.16
0.161667
0.16193
0.163333
0.165
0.166667
0.168333
0.17
0.171667
0.173333
0.175
0.176667
0.178333
0.18
0.181667
0.183333
0.185
0.186667

0.405468
0.407134
0.408801
0.410468
0.412134
0.413801
0.415468
0.417134
0.418801
0.420468
0.422134
0.423801
0.425468
0.427134
0.428801
0.430468
0.432134
0.433801
0.435468
0.437134
0.438801
0.440468
0.442134
0.443801
0.445468
0.447134
0.448801
0.450468
0.452134
0.452398
0.453801
0.455468
0.457134
0.458801
0.460468
0.462134
0.463801
0.465468
0.467134
0.468801
0.470468
0.472134
0.473801
0.475468
0.477134

0.648081
0.649747
0.651414
0.653081
0.654747
0.656414
0.658081
0.659747
0.661414
0.663081
0.664747
0.666414
0.668081
0.669747
0.671414
0.673081
0.674747
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0.678081
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0.681414
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0.684747
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0.688081
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0.691414
0.693081
0.694747
0.695011
0.696414
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0.708081
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0.711414
0.713081
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0.718081
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0.853092
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0.899759
0.900022

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445.5677
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18.85713247
17.26351408
15.81129919
14.48736426
13.27985559
12.17806161
11.17229846
10.25380741
9.414662981
8.647690468
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0.812821
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0.500752
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0.482121
0.472883
0.463704
0.454589
0.445545

0.188333
0.19
0.191667
0.193333
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0.478801
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0.532134
0.533081

0.721414
0.723081
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0.726414
0.728081
0.729747
0.731414
0.733081
0.734747
0.736414
0.738081
0.738092

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0.600413543
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0.436576
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0.266667
0.268333
0.27
0.271667
0.273333
0.275
0.276667
0.278333
0.28
0.281667
0.283333
0.285
0.286667
0.288333
0.29
0.290468

500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544

0.032594992
0.030688596
0.028900638
0.027223346
0.025649483
0.02417231
0.02278555
0.021483354
0.020260273
0.019111224
0.018031472
0.017016596
0.016062476
0.015165264
0.014321371
0.013527445
0.012780357
0.012077182
0.01141519
0.010791828
0.01020471
0.009651607
0.009130431
0.008639232
0.008176184
0.007739578
0.007327817
0.006939401
0.006572929
0.006227088
0.005900647
0.005592453
0.005301426
0.005026551
0.004766879
0.004521517
0.004289631
0.004070435
0.003863193
0.003667214
0.003481848
0.003306485
0.003140554
0.002983515
0.002834863

0.152931
0.149068
0.145301
0.141627
0.138046
0.134555
0.131152
0.127835
0.124603
0.121453
0.118384
0.115395
0.112482
0.109645
0.106881
0.10419
0.101568
0.099015
0.096529
0.094107
0.09175
0.089454
0.087219
0.085043
0.082924
0.080861
0.078853
0.076897
0.074994
0.07314
0.071336
0.069579
0.067869
0.066204
0.064584
0.063006
0.061469
0.059974
0.058517
0.0571
0.055719
0.054375
0.053067
0.051793
0.050552

545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589

0.002694123
0.002560848
0.002434617
0.002315036
0.002201732
0.002094356
0.001992577
0.001896088
0.001804594
0.001717822
0.001635513
0.001557423
0.001483321
0.001412993
0.001346233
0.001282848
0.001222659
0.001165492
0.001111188
0.001059593
0.001010563
0.000963964
0.000919667
0.00087755
0.000837501
0.00079941
0.000763176
0.000728702
0.000695898
0.000664678
0.000634959
0.000606666
0.000579725
0.000554067
0.000529628
0.000506345
0.000484161
0.00046302
0.00044287
0.000423662
0.000405348
0.000387884
0.000371228
0.000355341
0.000340184

0.049344
0.048167
0.047022
0.045906
0.04482
0.043761
0.042731
0.041727
0.040749
0.039797
0.03887
0.037966
0.037086
0.036228
0.035392
0.034578
0.033785
0.033012
0.032259
0.031525
0.03081
0.030113
0.029433
0.028771
0.028126
0.027496
0.026883
0.026285
0.025702
0.025133
0.024579
0.024039
0.023511
0.022997
0.022496
0.022007
0.02153
0.021065
0.020611
0.020168
0.019736
0.019314
0.018903
0.018502
0.01811

590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600

0.000325722
0.00031192
0.000298747
0.000286172
0.000274166
0.000262701
0.000251752
0.000241294
0.000231303
0.000221757
0.000212634

0.017728
0.017355
0.016991
0.016635
0.016288
0.01595
0.015619
0.015296
0.014981
0.014673
0.014372

And the Corresponding Graph:

X e (T ) =

X EB=

K e (T )
K e (T ) + 1

T 300
600

Thus, the maximum conversion you can achieve is ~90%