We want to design and build a reactor that produces 1200 kmol acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) per hour from ethanol and air. Two reactions are important at the reactor conditions: (R1) produces our desired product while (R2) produces an acetic acid by product. C2H5OH + ½ O2 → CH3CHO + H2O (R1) 2CH3CHO + O2 → 2CH3COOH (R2) Laboratory data indicate that if we use a new catalyst, adjust the feed ratio to 5.7 moles ethanol per mole oxygen, and operate the reactor at 300 oC and 1.5 atm pressure, we can expect 25% conversion of ethanol in the reactor, with selectivity for acetaldehyde 0.6. The preliminary block flow diagram calls for mixing pure ethanol vapor and air at 300 oC and 1.5 atm and feeding the mixture to the reactor. The reactor effluent is also 1.5 atm and all vapor. To maintain a constant reactor temperature of 300 oC, will heat need to be added or removed? If so, state how much.
We want to design and build a reactor that produces 1200 kmol acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) per hour from ethanol and air. Two reactions are important at the reactor conditions: (R1) produces our desired product while (R2) produces an acetic acid by product.
C2H5OH + ½ O2 → CH3CHO + H2O (R1)
2CH3CHO + O2 → 2CH3COOH (R2)
Laboratory data indicate that if we use a new catalyst, adjust the feed ratio to 5.7 moles ethanol per mole oxygen, and operate the reactor at 300 oC and 1.5 atm pressure, we can expect 25% conversion of ethanol in the reactor, with selectivity for acetaldehyde 0.6. The preliminary block flow diagram calls for mixing pure ethanol vapor and air at 300 oC and 1.5 atm and feeding the mixture to the reactor. The reactor effluent is also 1.5 atm and all vapor. To maintain a constant reactor temperature of 300 oC, will heat need to be added or removed? If so, state how much.
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