4.76. Methanol is produced by reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A fresh feed stream containing CO and H2 joins a recycle stream and the combined stream is fed to a reactor. The reactor outlet stream flows at a rate of 350 mol/min and contains 10.6 wt% H2, 64.0 wt% CO, and 25.4 wt% CH,OH. (Notice that those are percentages by mass, not mole percents.) This stream enters a cooler in which most of the methanol is condensed. The liquid methanol condensate is withdrawn as a product, and the gas stream leaving the condenser-which contains CO, H2, and 0.40 mole% uncondensed CH,OH vapor-is the recycle stream that combines with the fresh feed. a. Without doing any calculations, prove that you have enough information to determine (i) the molar flow rates of CO and H, in the fresh feed, (ii) the production rate of liquid methanol, and (iii) the single-pass and overall conversions of carbon monoxide. Then perform the calculations.

Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
8th Edition
ISBN:9781259696527
Author:J.M. Smith Termodinamica en ingenieria quimica, Hendrick C Van Ness, Michael Abbott, Mark Swihart
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4.76. Methanol is produced by reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A fresh feed stream containing CO and H, joins a recycle stream and
the combined stream is fed to a reactor. The reactor outlet stream flows at a rate of 350 mol/min and contains 10.6 wt% H2, 64.0 wt% CO, and
25.4 wt% CH,OH. (Notice that those are percentages by mass, not mole percents.) This stream enters a cooler in which most of the methanol is
condensed. The liquid methanol condensate is withdrawn as a product, and the gas stream leaving the condenser-which contains CO, H2, and
0.40 mole% uncondensed CH,OH vapor-is the recycle stream that combines with the fresh feed.
a. Without doing any calculations, prove that you have enough information to determine (i) the molar flow rates of CO and H, in the fresh
feed, (ii) the production rate of liquid methanol, and (iii) the single-pass and overall conversions of carbon monoxide. Then perform the
calculations.
V Answer
single-pass conversion of CO: 25.07%
b. After several months of operation, the flow rate of liquid methanol leaving the condenser begins to decrease. List at least three possible
explanations of this behavior and state how you might check the validity of each one. (What would you measure and what would you expect
to find if the explanation is valid?)
Transcribed Image Text:4.76. Methanol is produced by reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A fresh feed stream containing CO and H, joins a recycle stream and the combined stream is fed to a reactor. The reactor outlet stream flows at a rate of 350 mol/min and contains 10.6 wt% H2, 64.0 wt% CO, and 25.4 wt% CH,OH. (Notice that those are percentages by mass, not mole percents.) This stream enters a cooler in which most of the methanol is condensed. The liquid methanol condensate is withdrawn as a product, and the gas stream leaving the condenser-which contains CO, H2, and 0.40 mole% uncondensed CH,OH vapor-is the recycle stream that combines with the fresh feed. a. Without doing any calculations, prove that you have enough information to determine (i) the molar flow rates of CO and H, in the fresh feed, (ii) the production rate of liquid methanol, and (iii) the single-pass and overall conversions of carbon monoxide. Then perform the calculations. V Answer single-pass conversion of CO: 25.07% b. After several months of operation, the flow rate of liquid methanol leaving the condenser begins to decrease. List at least three possible explanations of this behavior and state how you might check the validity of each one. (What would you measure and what would you expect to find if the explanation is valid?)
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