Ethylene oxide is produced by the catalytic oxidation of ethylene: 2C2H4 + O2 → 2C2H4O An undesired competing reaction is the combustion of ethylene: C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 3H2O a. The feed to the reactor (not the fresh feed to the process) contains 3 moles of ethylene per mole of oxygen. The single-pass conversion of ethylene is 20%, and for every 100 moles of ethylene consumed in the reactor, 90 moles of ethylene oxide emerges in the reactor products. A multiple-unit process is used to separate the products: ethylene and oxygen are recycled to the reactor, ethylene oxide is sold as a product, and carbon dioxide and water are discarded. Assume a quantity of the reactor feed stream as a basis of calculation, draw and label the flowchart, and perform a degree-of-freedom analysis. b. Calculate (i) the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed, (ii) the production rate of ethylene oxide, and (iii) the overall conversion of ethylene. c. Calculate the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed needed to produce 1 ton per hour of ethylene oxide.
Ethylene oxide is produced by the catalytic oxidation of ethylene:
2C2H4 + O2 → 2C2H4O
An undesired competing reaction is the combustion of ethylene:
C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 3H2O
a. The feed to the reactor (not the fresh feed to the process) contains 3 moles
of ethylene per mole of oxygen. The single-pass conversion of ethylene is
20%, and for every 100 moles of ethylene consumed in the reactor, 90 moles
of ethylene oxide emerges in the reactor products. A multiple-unit process
is used to separate the products: ethylene and oxygen are recycled to the
reactor, ethylene oxide is sold as a product, and carbon dioxide and water
are discarded. Assume a quantity of the reactor feed stream as a basis of
calculation, draw and label the flowchart, and perform a degree-of-freedom
analysis.
b. Calculate (i) the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed,
(ii) the production rate of ethylene oxide, and (iii) the overall conversion of
ethylene.
c. Calculate the molar flow rates of ethylene and oxygen in the fresh feed
needed to produce 1 ton per hour of ethylene oxide.
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