FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
BELLVILLE CAMPUS
CET261S Tutorial 1 – Multiple reactive systems
Class Tutorial: 3rd April 2024: 9h00 to 14h00
Question 1
Methanol is synthesized from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a catalytic reactor. The fresh feed to the process
contains 32% (n/n) CO; 64% (n/n) H2; and 4% (n/n) N2. This stream is mixed with a recycle stream in a ratio 5
mol recycle / 1 mol fresh feed to the reactor, which contains 13% (n/n) N2. A low single-pass conversion is
attained in the reactor. The reactor effluent goes to a condenser, from which two streams emerge: a liquid product
stream containing all the methanol formed in the reactor, and a gas stream containing all the Co, H2, and N2
leaving the reactor. The gas stream is split into two fractions: one is removed from the process as a purge stream,
while the other is the recycle stream that combines with the fresh feed to the reactor.
a. Draw the system, inserting all relevant information.
b. For a basis of 100 mol fresh feed/hr, calculate the production rate of methanol, the molar flow rate and
composition of the purge stream, and the overall and single-pass conversions of the reactor.
Instructions:
The solution must be hand-written and submitted in the box provided on the
second floor of the Chemical Engineering building in front of the secretary’s
office. NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS ARE ALLOWED.
One submission per student. NO GROUP WORK ALLOWED.
Submission cutoff is 14h00 on Wednesday, 3rd April 2024. NO LATE
SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
CET261S TUTORIAL 1 3rd April 2024
