ChE 7110, Fall 2011

In all the modeling problems, from this and future sets, you must provide 1) A clear definition
of the control volume(s), i.e of all the surfaces of the CV. 2) A clear statement of the conserved
variable(s) used in the balances and 3) A list of all the fluxes. The graders will be instructed to
give a zero on all solutions that do not satisfy this.

HW#1, due 8-30-2010

1 - New)
A mixing tank is supplied with two liquid feed stream, streams 1 and 2, and a single exit
stream. The volumetric flow rate of the exit steam is controlled such that the liquid volume inside
the tank, V , is constant.
The tank can be considered well mixed, i.e. the composition of the exit stream is identical to
the composition in the tank. There is no volume change associated with the mixing.
Stream 1 with volumetric flow rate Q1 is pure compound A. Steam 2 with volumetric flow
rate Q2 is a mixture of A and B with molar concentrations CA,feed and CB,feed respectively.
The tank is open to the atmosphere and compound B evaporates from the surface of the
liquid. Compound A is non-volatile and consequently does not evaporate. A has the molecular
weight M and the density .

i) Let the concentrations of A and B in the tank be CA and CB respectively. Write a transient
model for the composition of the exit stream. Be sure the model has the same number of equations
and unknowns and define all the symbols that you use which are not defined in the problem
statement. List the unknowns.
ii) Simplify the model down to two equations in CA and CB .

Also #2, 3, 5 , 6 from the book.

1
 Solution.

Do two balances, on number of moles of A and B in the tank.

The CV is the liquid in the tank, bounded by the liquid-tank interface and the liquid-
atmosphere interface.

There are 4 fluxes. Three process streams, stream 1 and 2 and the exit stream, and the
evaporation flux. Stream 1 does not contribute to the balance on B and the evaporation
flux does not contribute to the balance on A.

The mole balance on A:

Q1 dCA
Q2 CA,feed Qexit CA = V (1)
M dt
where

Qexit + Qevaporation = Q1 + Q2 (2)

The mole balance on B:

dCB
Q2 CB,feed km ACB Qexit CB = V (3)
dt
where we assume that the mass transfer coefficient km has the appropriate units for giving the term
km ACB units of mole per time. Alternatively, one can write the expression for the evaporation
flux such that it includes a unit conversion factor. E.g. km ACB
There are four unknowns so far CA , CB , Qevaporation and Qexit , but only three equations. Last
equation relates the evaporation flux in moles per time to the evaporation flux in volume per
time.

Qevaporation = km ACB MB b (4)

where MB is the molecular weight of B and B the density of liquid B. Eliminating Qevaporation
first gives

Qexit = Q1 + Q2 km ACB MB b
and eliminating Qexit from the two mole balances then gives us a model with two equations. In
standard form, they are
 
dCA 1 Q1
= Q2 CA,feed (Q1 + Q2 km ACB MB b )CA
dt V M
dCB 1
= [Q2 CB,feed km ACB (Q1 + Q2 km ACB MB b )CB ]
dt V