DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, IIT BOMBAY

MidSemester Examination
CL 152 : Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Tuesday
Feb 24, 2004

Time: 14301630 hrs

Weightage: 30 %

CLOSED BOOK; Q1.3 is optional and is for additional credit

1. An evaporation-crystallization process used to obtain solid potassium sulfate
K2 SO4 from an aqueous solution of the salt, consists of an evaporator in which
some of the water is evaporated off, followed by the crystallizer which produces two
streams, a wet cake (product) and a filtrate. The filtrate is recycled to the inlet of
the evaporator in order not to lose the salt it contains.
The fresh feed solution to the process contains 19.6% K2 SO4 . The wet cake from
the crystallizer consists of solid potassium sulfate crystals and a 40.0 wt% solution,
in a ratio 10 kg crystals/kg solution. The filtrate, which is recycled and mixed with
the fresh feed is also a 40.0% solution. Of the water fed to the evaporator, 45.0% is
evaporated. The evaporator has a maximum capacity of 175 kg water evaporated per
sec.
1.1 Draw and label completely a flowchart for the process. Perform a degrees-offreedom analysis for the overall system (naming the variables and the equations), the
recycle-fresh feed mixing node, the evaporator and the crystallizer, and identify an
appropriate one to begin the calculations.
3 marks.
1.2 Calculate the maximum production rate of solid K2 SO4 , the rate at which
fresh feed must be supplied in order to achieve this production rate and the recycle
ratio, kg recycle/kg fresh feed.
5 marks.
1.3 (Optional) In the operation of the plant, the recycle pump develops a problem and the recycle rate falls to 75% of the original value. The fresh feed comes in
at the same rate as before. When the plant settles down to steady state operation
with the new recycle rate, which of the following do you expect to have changed
(a) production rate of K2 SO4 solid, (b) filtrate composition, (c) solid to liquid ratio
in the wet cake? State with reasons. Make what you feel are reasonable assumptions.
4 marks.
2. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) can be manufactured by treating calcium fluoride (CaF2 )
with sulfuric acid (H2 SO4 ). Calcium fluoride occurs in nature as the ore Fluorspar.
A sample of fluorspar contains 75% (by wt) CaF2 and 25% inerts. The pure
sulfuric acid used inthe process is in 30% in excess of stoichiometric requirement.
Most of the HF leaves the reaction chamber as a gas, but a solid cake is also removed
from the reaction chamber that contains 5% of all the HF formed, plus CaSO4 , inerts
and unreacted sulfuric acid. How many kg of cake are produced per 100 kg of fluorspar
charged to the process.
5 marks.
3. The gas-phase reaction between methanol and acetic acid to form methyl acetate
and water:
* CH3 COOCH3 + H2 O
CH3 OH + CH3 COOH )
(A)

(B)

(C)
1

(D)

takes place in a batch reactor and proceeds to equilibrium. When the reaction mixture
comes to equilibrium, it is found that yyCA yyDB = 4.87. The feed to the reactor consists
only of A, B and possibly an inert gas I.
3.1 Write down expressions for the number of moles of each component at equilibrium in terms of the equilibrium reaction extent e , and hence derive an equation
for e , in terms of the initial number of moles nA0 , nB0 and nI0 . Is the inclusion of
inerts in the feed beneficial or harmful for achieving a high e ?
3 marks.
3.2 If the feed is equimolar in A and B and does not contain anything else,
calculate the equilibrium conversion.
3 marks.
3.3 It is desired to produce 70 mol of methyl acetate at equilibrium, starting with
80 mol of acetic acid. How much methanol must be fed, and what is the composition
of the final product? There are no inerts in the feed.
3 marks.
4. Methanol is produced in the reaction of carbon dioxide and hydrogen:
CO2 + 3H2 CH3 OH + H2 O

(1)

The fresh feed to the process contains hydrogen, carbon dioxide and 0.400 mol% inerts
(I). The reactor effluent passes to a condenser which removes all of the methanol and
water formed as a liquid and none of the reactants or inerts have any solubility in
this solution. The reactants and gases are recycled to the reactor. To avoid buildup
of the inerts in the system, a purge stream is withdrawn from the recycle.
The feed to the reactor (NOT the fresh feed to the process) contains 28.0 mol%
CO2 , 70.0 mol% H2 and 2.00 mol% inerts. The single pass conversion of hydrogen is
60.0%. Calculate the molar flowrates and the molar compositions of the fresh feed,
the total feed to the reactor and the recycle stream, and the purge stream for a
methanol production of 155 kmol/h.
8 marks.
Note: Problem sheet 6 should be completely solved as an assignment
and submitted on 5 Mar 04.