Chapter 6: Isothermal Reactor Design: Molar Flow Rates
Chapter 6 Self Test
What four things are wrong with this membrane reactor solution?
The gas phase elementary reaction
2A → B + 2C
is carried out in a membrane reactor in which there is pressure drop with α = 0.019 kg-1. An equal molar feed of A and inerts, I, enter the reactor and only species B can exit the membrane. Plot the conversion of A down the membrane reactor containing 50 kg of catalyst. The specific reaction rate is kA = 2.5 dm6/mol/kg/s, and the mass transfer coefficient kC = 1.5 dm3/kg•s
Proposed Solution

Identify 4 things that are incorrect
Solution 1Solution 2
Solution 3
Solution 4
First Incorrect Thing
rB = -kCA should be rA = -kCA2
Back to Problem
Second Incorrect Thing
rA = -rB/2 should be rB = -rA/2
Back to Problem
Third Incorrect Thing
FT = FA + FB + FC should be FT = FA + FB + FC + FI
Back to Problem
Fourth Incorrect Thing
y = (1 - αW)1/2 should be \( \frac{dy}{dW} = - \frac{\alpha F_T}{2y F_{T0}} \)
Back to Problem
Actual Solution
rB = -kCA should be rA = -kCA2
rA = -rB/2 should be rB = -rA/2
FT = FA + FB + FC should be FT = FA + FB + FC + FI
y = (1 - αW)1/2 should be \( \frac{dy}{dW} = - \frac{\alpha F_T}{2y F_{T0}} \)
FT0 = FA0 + FI
FI = FA0

