Tutorial 2

CPE624 Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering

Question 1

t-Butyl alcohol (TBA) was produced by the liquid phase hydration (W) of isobutene (I) over an
Amberlyst-15 catalyst. The system is normally a multiphase mixture of hydrocarbon, water
and solid catalyst.

a) Propose the mechanism of reaction
(i) If the mechanism is dual site and surface reaction is reversible.
(ii) If reaction follows Eley-Rideal kinetics and surface reaction is irreversible
(iii) If isobutene (I) and water are adsorbed on different sites and surface reaction
is reversible.
(iv) If the mechanism is dual site, irreversible surface and TBA not on the surface.

b) Determine a rate law
(i) If the surface reaction is rate limiting (as described in a(i)).
(ii) If the adsorption of isobutene is limiting (as described in a(i)).
(iii) If the surface reaction is limiting and reaction follows Eley-Rideal kinetics


Question 2

In the reaction of HCHO CO H
2
, gases H
2
adsorbs dissociatively and CO adsorbs
without dissociation. Suggest a reasonable rate expression if the surface reaction is
irreversible and is rate limiting.


Question 3

The uses of unburned carbon monoxide has been proposed to remove nitogen oxide, NO
from automobile exhaust. The process is proceed by the reaction of
2 2
5 . 0 CO N NO CO .
Experimental data indicate that the reaction rate can be represented by

2
2 1
1
C N
C N
N
P K P K
P kP
r

.
a) Propose an adsorption-surface reaction mechanism for the above reaction.
*Hint: Surface reaction is irreversible and dual site mechanism.
b) Derive the theoritical rate of reaction and suggest the rate limiting step that consistent
with the theoritical rate law. Compare your answer with experimental rate reaction.

c) Determine the overall rate of reaction if the reaction is carried out at high temperature.





Question 4
The reaction O H O H
2 2 2
2
1
has a rate limiting step S S HO S O S H and the
rate of reaction is
O H R
P P k r .
a) Sketch the process assumed in a rate limiting step.

b) Derive a rate reaction expression r(P
H2
, P
O2
) for this reaction by assuming Langmuir
Hinshelwood kinetics with competitive adsorption. Determine the maximum order for this
reaction predicted by this expression.

Question 5
The liquid phase catalytic reaction of A + B C was carried out in a differential reactor. The
limiting step in the reaction is known to be irreversible, so that the overall reaction is
irreversible. The reaction mechanism is believed to be:





(a) Determine the rate law for this reaction.

(b) Determine the conversion if the number of site A and site C are equal. Given
K
A
=8.73atm
-1
and K
C
= 2.38 atm
-1
.

S C S C
S C B S A
S A S A