CHE 31.

Introduction to Chemical Engineering

Problem Set 1.Fundamental Concepts in Chemical Engineering Calculations

(Problems adopted from Elementary Principles of Chemical Process by Felder & Rousseau and
Basic Principles and Calculations in Chemical Engineering by Himmelblau and Briggs)

1. You are trying to decide which of two automobiles to buy. The first is American-made, costs
$14,500, and has a rated gasoline mileage of 28 miles/gal. The second car is of European
manufacture, costs $21,700, and has a rated mileage of 19 km/L. If the cost of gasoline is
$1.25/gal and if the cars actually deliver their rated mileage, estimate how many miles you
would have to drive so that the two cars will incur the same total cost?

Ans. 4.3 x 105 miles

2. A supersonic aircraft consumes 5320 imperial gallons of kerosene per hour of flight and flies
an average of 14 hours per day. It takes roughly seven tons of crude oil to produce one ton of
kerosene. The density of kerosene is 0.965 g/cm3. How many planes would it take to
consume the entire annual world production of 4.02 x 109 metric tons of crude oil?

Ans. 4834 planes

3. The following empirical equation correlates the values of variables in a system in which solid
particles are suspended in a flowing gas:

1 1
k g dp y   3  dp u  2
 2.00  0.600    
D  D    
 

Both (m/rD) and (dpur/m) are dimensionless groups; kg is a coefficient that expresses the
rate at which a particular species transfers from the gas to the solid particles; and the
coefficients 2.00 and 0.600 are dimensionless constants obtained by fitting experimental data
covering a wide range of values of the equation variables.

The value of kg is needed to design a catalytic reactor. Since this coefficient is difficult to
determine directly, values of the other variables are measured or estimated and kg is
calculated from the given correlation. The variable values are as follows:

dp = 5.00 mm
y = 0.100 (dimensionless)
D = 0.100 cm2/s
 = 1.00 x 10-5 N×s/m2
 = 1.00 x 10-3 g/cm3
u = 10.0 m/s
 What is the estimated value of kg? (Give its value and units)

Ans. kg = 0.888 m/s

4. In modeling the effect of an impurity on crystal growth, the following equation was derived:

G  GL 1

G0  G K Cm
L

where C is impurity concentration, GL is a limiting growth rate, G0 is the growth rate of the
crystal with no impurity present, and KL and m are model parameters.

In a particular experiment, G0 = 3.00 x 10-3 mm/min, and GL = = 1.80 x 10-3 mm/min. Growth
rates are measured for several impurity concentrations C (ppm), with the following results:

C (ppm) 50.0 75.0 100.0 125.0 150.0

G (mm/min) x 103 2.50 2.20 2.04 1.95 1.90

a. Determine KL and m, give both numerical values and units.

Ans. KL = 4.340 x 10-5 ppm-2.483 and m = 2.483 (dimensionless)

b. A solution is fed to a crystallizer in which the impurity concentration is 475 ppm.

Estimate the expected crystal growth rate.

Ans. G = 1.806 x 10-3 mm/min

5. The rate at which a substance passes through a semipermeable membrane is determined by

the diffusivity D (cm2/s) of the gas. D varies with the membrane temperature T(K) according
to the Arrhenius equation:

D = D0 exp (-E/RT)

where D0 = the pre-exponential factor

E = the activation energy for diffusion
R = 1.987 cal/(mol×K)

Diffusivities of SO2 in a fluorosilicone rubber tube are measured at several temperatures,

with the following results:

T(K) D (cm2/s) x 106

 347.0 1.34
374.2 2.50
396.2 4.55
420.7 8.52
447.7 14.07
471.2 19.99

a. What are the units of D0 and E?

b. How should the data be plotted to obtain a straight line on rectangular coordinates?

c. Plot the data in the manner indicated in part (b), and determine D0 and E from the
resulting line (give numerical values and units)

6. Liquid benzene (s.g.=0.879) and liquid n-hexane (s.g.=0.659) are blended to form a stream
flowing at a rate of 700 lbm/h. An on-line densitometer (an instrument used to determine
density) indicates that the stream has a density of 0.850 g/ml. Estimate the mass and
volumetric feed rates of the two hydrocarbons to the mixing vessel (in American Engineering
units using h for time).

Ans. VB = 11.4 ft3/h, mB = 628 lbm/h, VH = 1.74 ft3/h, mH = 71.6 lbm/h)

7. A mixture of ethanol and water contains 60.0% water by mass.

a. Assuming volume additivity of the components, estimat the specific gravity of the
mixture at 200C. What volume (in liters) of this mixture is required to provide 150 mol of
ethanol?

Ans. SG = 0.903, V = 19.1 L

b. Repeat the calculation of volume in (a) with the additional information that the specific
gravity of the mixture at 200C is 0.93518 (making it unnecessary to assume volume
additivity). What percentage error results from the volume additivity assumption?

Ans. V = 18.5 L, % error = 3.5%

8. Biomass combustion – burning of forests, grasslands, agricultural wastes, and other

biological matter – is recognized as a serious threat to the environment. The table below
shows the distribution of carbon-containing compounds released to the atmosphere
worldwide from all combustion sources as well as the portion coming from biomass burning.
 Metric Tons C, Metric Tons C,
Compound
All Sources % from Biomass

CO2 8700 40
CO 1100 26
CH4 380 10

The numbers in the middle column reflect annual quantities of carbon released to the
atmosphere in the indicated compound; for example, 8700 metric tons of carbon was released
as carbon dioxide. Determined the combined release (in metric tons) of all three species (i.e.
CO2, CO, CH4) resulting from biomass combustion and the average molecular weight of the
combined gas.

Ans. 13,500 metric tons/year, MW = 42.5 g/gmol

9. A 5.00 wt% aqueous sulfuric acid solution ( = 1.03 g/mL) flows through a 45-m long pipe
with a 6.0 cm diameter at a rate of 87 L/min.

a. What is the molarity of sulfuric acid in the solution?

Ans. 0.525 mol/L

b. How long (in seconds) would it take to fill a 55-gallon drum, and how much sulfuric acid
(in lbm) would the drum contain?

Ans. t = 144 s ; 23.6 lbm sulfuric acid

c. The mean velocity of a fluid in a pipe equals the volumetric flow rate divided by the
cross-sectional area normal to the direction of flow. Use this information to estimate how
long (in seconds) it takes the solution to flow from the pipe inlet to the outlet.

Ans. t = 88 s

10. A temperature scale that never quite caught on was formulated by the Austrian chemist
Johann Sebastian Farblunget. The reference points on this scale were 00FB, below which
Farblunget’s postnasal drip began to bother him, and 10000FB, the boiling point of beer.
Conversions between 0C and 0FB can be accomplished with the expression

T(0C) = 0.0940 T(0FB) + 4.00

Louis Louis, Farblunget’s nephew, attempted to follow at his uncle’s footsteps by

formulating his own temperature scale. He fined the degree Louie (0L) using the as reference
conditions the optimum serving temperature of marinated snails (1000L correspong to 150C)
and the temperature at which a rubber band began to relax (10000L corresponding to 430C).
 a. At what temperature (in 0F) does beer boil? Ans. 208 0F

b. What temperature interval of 10.0 0FB equivalent to 0C, K, 0F, and 0R?

Ans. 10.0 0FB = 0.94 0C = 0.94 K = 1.69 0F = 1.69 0R

c. Derive equations for T(0C) in terms of T(0L) and T(0L) in terms of T(0FB).

Ans. T(0C) = 0.0311 T(0L) + 11.9 ; T(0L) = 3.023 T(0FB) - 254

d. What temperature interval of 50.0 0L equivalent to 0C, K, 0F, 0R, and 0FB?

Ans. 50.0 0L = 1.56 0C =1.56 K = 2.8 0F = 2.8 0R = 16.60FB

11. A mixture of methane and air is capable of being ignited only if the mole percent of methane
is between 5% and 15%. A mixture containing 9.0 mole% methane in air flowing at a rate of
700 kg/h is to be diluted with pure air to reduce the methane concentration to the lower
flammability limit. Calculate the required flow rate of air in mol/h and the percent by mass of
oxygen in the product gas.

Ans. 20200 mol air/h ; 0.225 kg O2/kg

12. Phosphoric acid is a colorless deliquescent acid used in the manufacture of fertilizers and as a
flavoring agent in drinks. For a given 10 wt% phosphoric acid solution of specific gravity
1.10, determine:

a. the mole fraction of this mixture. Ans. 0.020 mol/mol H3PO4 ;

b. the volume (in gal) of this solution which would contain 1 gmol H3PO4. Ans. 0.24 gal

13. A liquified mixture of n-butane, n-pentane and n-hexane has the following composition in
percent.

n-C4H10 50
n-C5H12 30
n-C6H14 20

Calculate the weight fraction, mol fraction and mol percent of each component and also the
average molecular weight of the mixture.

Ans.
mass fraction: 0.50 n-C4H10, 0.30 n-C5H12, 0.20 n-C6H14 ;
mol fraction: 0.57 n-C4H10, 0.28 n-C5H12, 0.15 n-C6H14 ;
MW = 66 g/gmol
14. Gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) is produced by the reaction of calcium carbonate and sulfuric acid.

CaCO3 + H2SO4 =====> CaSO4 + H2O + CO2

A certain lime stone analyzes: CaCO3 – 96.89%; MgCO3 – 1.41%; inerts – 1.70%. For 5
metric tons of limestone reacted completely, determine:

a. kg of anhydrous gypsum (CaSO4) produced. Ans. 6600 kg CaSO4

b. kg of 98 wt% sulfuric acid solution required. Ans. 4822 kg sulfuric acid solution
c. kg of total CO2 produced. Ans. 2165 kg CO2

15. The synthesis of ammonia proceeds according to the following reaction:

N2 + H2 =====> NH3

In a production plant, 4202 lbm of nitrogen and 1046 lbm of hydrogen are fed to the
synthesis reactor per hour. Production of ammonia from this reactor is 3060 lbm per hour.

a. What is the limiting reactant?

b. What is the percentage excess of the other reactant? Ans. 16.2%
c. What is the degree of completion of the reaction? Ans. 60.0%

16. Five pounds of bismuth is heated along with one pound of sulfur to form Bi2S3.

Bi + 3 S =====> Bi2S3

a. What is the limiting reactant?

b. What is the percentage excess of the other reactant? Ans. 14.9%
c. What is the percent conversion of sulfur to Bi2S3? Ans. 70.0%

17. Ammonia is burned to form nitric oxide in the following reaction:

4NH3 + 5O2 =====> 4NO + 6H2O

a. Calculate the ratio (lbmol O2 react/lbmol NO formed).

b. If ammonia is fed to a continuous reactor at a rate of 100.0 kmol NH3/h, what oxygen
feed rate (kmol/h) would correspond to 40.0% excess O2?

Ans. 175 kmol O2/h

c. If 50.0 kg of ammonia and 100.0 kg of oxygen are fed to a batch reactor, determine the
limiting reactant, the percentage by which the other reactant is in excess, and the extent
of reaction (mol) and mass of NO produced (kg) if the reaction proceeds to completion.

Ans.  = 625 mol; Mass of NO = 75.0 kg

18. At low to moderate pressures, the equilibrium state of the water-gas shift reaction

CO + H2O <=====> CO2 + H2

is approximately described by the relation

y CO2 y H 2
 K e (T)  0.0247exp[4020 / T(K)]
y CO y H2O

where T is the reactor temperature, Ke is the reaction equilibrium constant, and yi is the mole
fraction of species i in the reactor contents at equilibrium. Calculate the equilibrium mole
fraction of hydrogen in the product.

Ans. yH2 = 0.110 mol H2/mol

19. Methanol is formed from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gas-phase reaction

CO + H2 <=====> CH3OH
(A) (B) (C)

The mole fractions of the reactive species at equilibrium satisfy the relation

yC  1 
   K e (T)
y A y 2B  P 2 

where P is the total pressure (atm), Ke the reaction equilibrium constant (atm-2), and T the
temperature (K). The equilibrium constant Ke equals 10.5 at 373 K and 2.316x10-4 at 573 K.
A semilog plot of Ke (logarithmic scale) versus 1/T (rectangular scale) is approximately
linear between T = 300K and T = 600K.

a. Derive a formula for Ke in terms of T and determine Ke when T = 450K.

Ans: Ke = 4.79x10-13 exp(11458/T(K)) atm-2, Ke (450K) = 0.0548 atm-2

b. Suppose you begin with equimolar quantities of CO and H2 and no CH3OH, and the
reaction proceeds to equilibrium at 423K and 2.00 atm. Calculate the molar composition
of the product (yA, yB, yC) and the fractional conversion of CO.

Ans. yA=0.500, yB=0.408, yC=0.092;

Fractional Conversion of CO = 0.156 mol reacted/mol fed

20. Methane and oxygen react in the presence of a catalyst to form formaldehyde. In a parallel
reaction, methane is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water:
 CH4 + O2 <=====> HCHO + H2O

CH4 + 2O2 <=====> CO2 + 2H2O

The feed to the reactor contains equimolar amounts of methane and oxygen. Assume a basis
of 100 mol feed/s.

a. Derive expressions for the product stream component flow rates in terms of the two
extents of reaction, 1 and 2.

b. The fractional conversion of methane is 0.900 and the fractional yield of formaldehyde is
0.855. Calculate the molar composition of the reactor output stream and the selectivity of
formaldehyde production relative to carbon dioxide production.

Ans.

molar composition of output stream:

yCH4 = 0.0500, yO2 = 0.0275, yHCHO = 0.4275, yH2O = 0.4725, yCO2 = 0.0225

Selectivity:
19 mol HCHO/mol CO2