Additional Homework Problems

CDP10-OB

Benzene and propylene are produced form the cracking of cumene over a silica-alumina catalyst. Unfortunately, a trace amount of cumene hydroperoxide can deactivate the catalyst. The reaction is carried out in a batch reactor at a temperature sufficiently high that the adsorption constants of reactants and products are quite small. The reactor is charged with 0.1% cumene hydroperoxide, 90% N2. and 9.9% cumene at a pressure of 20 atm. The following data were obtained in a well-mixed batch reactor with a catalyst concentration of 1 kg/m3.

t(s)   0     10     20     30     40     60     80     100     150     200     300     500     750     1000  
% Conversion     0     3.7     7.1     10.2     13.0     18.0     22.3     25.9     33.0     37.9     44.1     49.3     51.2     51.7  

Determine the reaction order and rate constant with respect to cumene. Determine the order of decay and the decay constant as well (Ans: First-order, k = 6.63 * 10-5 s-1)

[3rd Ed. P10-23]