1.

Different types of chemical engineering tools used for analysis and design of energy
processes.
Solution :

i. MS Excel :
• Microsoft Office Excel is a spreadsheet application that features calculations via rows
and columns, graphing tools tables and a macro programming language with Visual
Basic.
• The main advantage of Excel is that it is readily available and widely used in industry
and academia.
• Thus, it is a perfect tool for calculations or interface with different software so that
users can interact with Excel and behind the scenes, other software packages such as
Chemcad, Polymath, Matlab, etc., are running and reporting the results back to Excel
[1].
Its principal features are:
• Built-In-functions and formulas: There are a large number of built-in functions
defined, such as statistics, (MEAN, AVERAGE, t-test), Algebraic, (SUM, ROUND, LOG,
LOG10), logical (IF, FALSE, etc.), reference, database and information.
Features of Excel :
a. Plotting,
b. Solver,
c. Building functions in Visual Basic for Application,
d. Link Excel with Other Software.

ii. Mathworks Matlab :

• This is one of the most-used software packages in engineering and also in chemical
engineering.
• It is a programming language, which can be divided into two classes; scripts and
functions.
• A script is a number of operations that are performed in a certain sequence.
• Functions are a particular type of scripts that must begin with the word “function” at
the top of them.
• Functions can be user-friendly or typical operations such as equation solving or
differential equations. This language has algebraic, statistical functions predefined
along with plotting capabilities.
Features of Matlab :
a. Momentum, Mass and Energy Transfer
b. Distillation Column Operation : McCabe Thiele Method
c. Modelling of different kinds of process equipment
d. Reactor design
e. Control loops and analysis.

iii. Process Simulators :

• The simulation, design, and optimization of a chemical process plant, which
comprises of several processing units interconnected by process streams are the core
activities in processing engineering.
• These tasks require performing material and energy balancing, equipment sizing, and
cost estimation.
• A computer package that can accomplish these duties is known as a computer-aided-
process design package or a process simulator.

iv. Chemstations Chemcad :

• Chemcad features include process development, equipment design, equipment
sizing, thermophysical property calculations, dynamic simulations, process
intensification studies, energy efficiency/optimization, data reconciliation, process
economics, troubleshooting/process improvement, Microsoft Visual Basic, etc.
• The Chemcad suite includes six products that can be purchased individually or
bundled as needed for specific industries, projects and processes.
a. CC-steady state : simulations of continuous chemical processes, features libraries
of chemical components, thermodynamic methods, and unit operations.
b. CC-dynamics is used to conduct dynamic flowsheet analysis, operability check-out,
PID loop tuning, operator training, online process control and soft sensor
functionality. It is ideal for users who want to design or rate dynamic processes.
 c. CC-Therm is used for sizing heat exchangers, covers shell-and-tube, plate and
frame, air-cooled and double pipe exchangers. Rigorous designs are based on
physical property and phase equilibria data.
d. CC-Batch allows users to design or rate a batch distillation column.
e. CC-Safety Net: Used for analysis of any pipe network with the piping and safety
relief network simulation software.
f. CC-Flash: Used to calculate physical properties and phase equilibria (VLE, LLE,
VLLE) for pure components and mixtures with good accuracy.

v. Aspen Hysys and Aspen Plus

• Aspen Plus is a process modeling tool for conceptual design, optimization, and
performance monitoring for the chemical, polymer, speciality chemical, metals and
minerals, and coal power industries. It can also be used for mass and energy
balances, physical chemistry, thermodynamics, chemical reaction engineering, unit
operations, process design and process control.
• UniSim Design (Honeywell) is a simulation software package that is used extensively
in refinery and petrochemical industries, and has all the functionalities that a process
simulator should have, and it is widely used by chemical/process engineers.

2. Any two types of gasifiers.

Solution :
Gasifiers may also be classified as per the type of the bed i.e
i. Fixed bed
ii. Fluidised bed

i. Fixed Bed Gasifiers : The three main designs of fixed bed gasifiers are
a. Up Draught Gasifiers :
▪ In updraught gasifier air enters below the combustion zone and the
producer gas leaves near the top of the gasifier.
▪ This type of gasifier is easy to build and operate.
▪ The gas produced has practically no ash but contains tar and water
vapour because of passing of gas through the unburnt fuel.
▪ Hence updraught gasifiers are suitable for tar free fuels like char-coal,
especially in stationary engines.
b. Down-draught Gasifier :
▪ In down draught gasifier air enters at the combustion zone and the gas
produced leaves near the bottom of the gasifier.
▪ In this type of gasifiers, the volatiles and the tars produced from the
descending fixed bed have to pass through the reaction zone where
mostly they are racked and gasified.
▪ Also a constriction provided in the heart ,i.e the throat ensures that the
gaseous products pass through the hottest zone, the gas produced
contains less of tar and more of ash.
▪ These gasifiers are suitable for fuels like wood and agricultural wastes.
▪ They may be used for power generation upto 150kW, and beyond that
there may be geometrical limitations upon gas quality.
3. Explain the working of a bioreactor with a diagram.
Solution :
4. Write a note on reaction kinetics.
Solution :
• Chemical Kinetics is a part of physical chemistry that focuses on the rate of chemical
reactions and the reasons behind them.
• It involves figuring out the speed and details of chemical reactions, studying the
factors that affect how fast they happen, and how molecules interact during these
changes.
• This field is important in various scientific areas, from improving industrial processes
to understanding complicated reactions in biological systems.
• By focusing on how molecules interact, chemical kinetics helps us to understand the
complex movements of atoms and molecules in the world of chemistry.

• The rate of a reaction, or its speed, is defined as the change in concentration of a

reactant or
• product per unit of time.

Factors Affecting Reaction Rates

The rate of a reaction can be modified by changing certain parameters. Here are the key
factors:
a. Concentration of Reactants:
• According to collision theory, an increase in the concentration of reactants leads to
more collisions between molecules, consequently elevating the reaction rate.
• Example: In a reaction A + B → C, if the concentration of A and B is increased, the rate
of the reaction will likely increase due to a higher frequency of collisions.
b. Nature of the Reactants:
• The reaction rate is influenced by the types of substances involved. Acid/base
reactions and salt formation tend to be fast, while reactions resulting in the formation
of larger molecules through covalent bonds are usually slower.
• Example: Acid/base reactions and salt formation often exhibit faster rates.
Conversely, the formation of larger molecules through covalent bonds, like in the
reaction C6H12O6 → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2, tends to be slower.

c. Physical State of Reactants:

• The physical state (solid, liquid, or gas) of a reactant affects the rate of change.
Homogeneous phases (e.g., both in an aqueous solution) allow for increased
collisions, while different phases limit reactions to interfaces between reactants.
• Example: In the reaction between solid magnesium (Mg) and hydrochloric acid (HCl),
the physical state influences the rate. When Mg is in a powdered form, the reaction
proceeds faster than when it is in larger solid pieces.

d. Surface Area of Reactants:

• Increasing the surface area, such as by crushing a solid into smaller particles,
enhances the frequency of collisions between reactant particles, leading to a faster
reaction.
• Example: For the reaction 2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(g), finely divided powdered iron as
a catalyst increases the surface area, promoting a faster reaction.

e. Temperature:
• An increase in temperature results in more collisions between reactant molecules per
second, thereby boosting the reaction rate.
• Example: In the combustion of methane (CH4) with oxygen (O2), increasing the
temperature leads to a higher reaction rate, as more collisions occur between the
molecules.

5. Explain the role of biomass storage systems.

Solution :
• Seasonal variation is a challenge for most agricultural products, necessitating storage
in order to provide a biorefinery with year- round access to the product.
• Agricultural residues, such as corn stover, are typically available during a 1–2-months
window and are dependent on the harvest of the primary product.
• Energy crops are also harvested seasonally but have a more flexible harvest window
since it is the primary product as opposed to residues that are reliant on a commodity
crop.
• Engineered storage systems offer the opportunity to minimize the seasonal variation
of biomass availability and allow a biorefinery to operate year-round with a consistent
feedstock supply.
• Long term storage also allows for a biorefinery to be sized at the appropriate scale
such that down-time is minimized, and this reduces costly capital expenditures.

Some of the biomass roles include :

1. Maintaining Supply for Energy Processes
2. Preserving Biomass Quality
3. Buffering for Process Optimization
4. Preventing Environmental Impacts
5. Facilitating Biomass Processing
6. Enabling Large-Scale Energy Applications
7. Supporting Diverse Biomass Feedstocks

6. Evaluate the working of a pyrolysis plant.

Solution :

As already mentioned, worn-out tires and waste plastic are two of the main ingredients in
this plant. The plant recycles these waste materials and produces fuel, thus saving natural
resources significantly. Here’s how the plant works:

1. Feeding raw materials :

• The first step is to feed raw materials into the pyrolysis reactor using an automatic
feeding machine.
• You need to keep at least one-third of the reactor empty to allow the raw materials to
rotate properly.
• Make sure the feeding machine’s inlet closes tightly so that the ingredients mix
thoroughly.

2.Heating the reactor :

• Heating the reactor gently burns the raw materials inside.
• This step is crucial to converting the waste materials into combustible fuel.
• The reactor releases oil gas when the chamber reaches 100o C. Soon, the heavy oil gas
separates by manifold and enters the condenser.
• Here the oil gas liquefies and drops down into a heavy oil tank.
• On the other hand, the lighter gas rises up into the oil condensers and liquefies into the
oil tank above.
• The non-condensable gas goes through a dedusting and desulfurization system,
leading to the furnace that connects to the heat pyrolysis reactor for recycling.
 3. Cooling down :
• The reactor cools down once it produces a batch of fuel oil.
• This allows the reactor of the tire pyrolysis plant to discharge carbon black
automatically as the temperature falls below 40o C.
• If you are only using waste tires as raw materials, you should take the steel wires out
from the reactor using hooks when the temperature is at least 50o C or lower.
• Purifying leftover gas You will still have a small percentage of gas left in the chamber.
• This gas is recyclable if you purify it by passing it through a smoke cleaning system. It
helps to make the gas meet the emission standards.
• Moreover, you hardly leave any waste if you use every cubic meter of gas. This also
allows you to prepare the reactor for your next batch.
• Leaving residues in the reactor and condenser may affect the next batch’s production,
thus reducing the fuel’s overall quality.
• A pyrolysis plant is one of the most crucial plants that help to keep the environment
clean. It recycles waste materials like tires and plastic to make fuel that you can use
for various purposes.

7. Explain role of any two types of storage amendments for biomass.

Solution :

i. Microbial Amendments :

• Microbial amendments involve the use of specific microorganisms to enhance or

preserve the quality of biomass during storage.

Role and Purpose:

• Control Decomposition: Beneficial microbes suppress harmful microbes that cause

spoilage.
• Prevent Rot: Reduces biological activity that leads to biomass degradation.
• Improve Biomass Quality: Some microbes enhance the breakdown of complex
materials (e.g., lignocellulose), making biomass easier to process in applications like
biogas production or fermentation.

Examples:

• Inoculants (Lactic Acid Bacteria): These are often used to convert soluble sugars in
biomass into organic acids (like lactic acid), which lower pH and inhibit harmful
microbial activity.
• Fungal Cultures: Used to partially digest biomass for easier downstream processing
(e.g., for bioethanol production).
• Anaerobic Bacteria: Create conditions that prevent aerobic spoilage.
Applications:

• Frequently used in the storage of high-moisture biomass like silage or crop residues.
• Useful in anaerobic digestion systems where microbes precondition the feedstock for
biogas production.

2. Acidic Amendments

Acidic amendments involve adding acids or acid-generating substances to biomass to lower

its pH, creating an environment unfavorable for microbial degradation.

Role and Purpose:

• Preserve Biomass: Acidic conditions inhibit the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria

and fungi.
• Minimize Losses: Reduces organic matter loss due to microbial activity.
• Enhance Stability: Prevents the production of harmful byproducts (e.g., methane,
CO₂) during storage.

Examples:

• Organic Acids (Lactic, Propionic, or Formic Acid): Commonly sprayed or mixed into
biomass to lower pH quickly.
• Mineral Acids (Sulfuric or Phosphoric Acid): Sometimes used for industrial-grade
biomass preservation.
• Acid Generators: Certain additives that react to produce acids when applied to
biomass (e.g., fermentable sugars combined with microbial inoculants).

Applications:
• Used for silage production, where crop residues are treated to preserve them for
livestock feed.

8. Differentiate between wood burning stove and pellet burning stove.

Solution :