ASSIGNMENT 1

CHE502/594
REACTION ENGINEERING 1

DUE DATE: MONDAY (14TH OF MAY 2018)

QUESTION 1 (PO2, CO1, C3)

An experiment of irreversible isothermal reaction A → B was carried out in a constant volume

batch reactor at 350 K. Results obtained for this experiment is presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Concentration versus time data

Time (min) Concentration, CA (mol/L)
0 4.0
5 2.3256
10 1.1025
15 0.3306
20 0.01

a) By using finite difference method, determine the reaction order and the reaction rate
constant.

b) The experiment above was repeated at temperature of 450K and the reaction rate
constant obtained was 0.3 (unit is depends on answer in (a)). Calculate the activation
energy, Ea and pre-exponential factor, A or k0.
Given that, gas constant, R =8.314 J/mol∙K.

QUESTION 2 (PO2, CO2, C3)

The stoichiometric reaction of reactants A and B is as follows:

A+B C+D

The liquid-phase reaction is first order with respect to A and B (elementary reaction). The
rate constant, k, for this reaction is 0.0017 m3/kmol∙min at 200oC with an activation energy,
E, of 47,000 J/mol. The initial entering concentrations of A and B are 2.0 and 6.5 kmol/m 3,
respectively.

a) Express the rate law for the rate of disappearance of A, -rA, in terms of concentration.

b) Set up a stoichiometric table for this reaction and express -rA in terms of conversion,
X A.

c) Calculate the initial rate of reaction (XA =0) at 200oC and 25oC.

d) Determine the rate of reaction at 90% conversion at 25oC.