Ethylene oxide (oxirane) is a versatile compound used in the production of other chemicals for a variety of industrial applications and everyday consumer products. It is industrially produced by oxidation of ethylene in the presence of silver catalyst. The reaction is 2C2H4 + O2 → 2C2H4O However, an undesired competing reaction in the process is the combustion of ethylene: C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O The feed to the reactor (combined fresh feed and recycle stream) contains 3 moles of ethylene per mole of oxygen gas. The conversion of ethylene is 20%, and for every 100 moles of ethylene consumed in the reactor, 90 moles of ethylene oxide emerges in the reactor products. Calculate: A. the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed B. the production rate of ethylene oxide C. overall conversion of ethylene
Ethylene oxide (oxirane) is a versatile compound used in the production of other chemicals for a variety of industrial applications and everyday consumer products. It is industrially produced by oxidation of ethylene in the presence of silver catalyst. The reaction is
2C2H4 + O2 → 2C2H4O
However, an undesired competing reaction in the process is the combustion of ethylene:
C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O
The feed to the reactor (combined fresh feed and recycle stream) contains 3 moles of ethylene per mole of oxygen gas. The conversion of ethylene is 20%, and for every 100 moles of ethylene consumed in the reactor, 90 moles of ethylene oxide emerges in the reactor products. Calculate:
A. the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed
B. the production rate of ethylene oxide
C. overall conversion of ethylene
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