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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

EXAMINATIONS OF December 2014

Code and Name of Course: Introduction to Chemical & Process Engineering CHNG 1000

Date and Time: Duration: 2 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES: This paper has 4 pages and 5 questions

All working must be shown CLEARLY

ANSWER ANY 3 QUESTIONS

© The University of the West Indies Course Code CHNG 1000 2014/2015

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner
and/or the External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must
be signed by the First and Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar
(Examinations). The EXTERNAL EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with
comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations).

................................................. ..............................................
First Examiner University Examiner

................................................. ..............................................
Second Examiner External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: .................. Date: ....................

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1. a. Outline the roles chemical engineers play in design of a chemical

facility. [6 Marks]
b. Outline the roles chemical engineers play in the operation of a
chemical plant. [8 Marks]
c. Discuss issues that may arise in the operation of an Ethylene Glycol
plant and suggest possible solutions. [11 Marks]

2. a. Outline the major characteristics of an Environmental Impact

Assessment. [10 Marks]

b. Outline the Bayer process for the production of aluminum oxide.

[8 Marks]
c. Discus the disposal methods for “Red Mud”. [7 Marks]

3. a. Identify and describe the hazard studies in the design stages of a

plant. [12 Marks]
b. Describe the role and the qualities of safety advisors.
[6 Marks]
c. What are the differences between safety audits and safety surveys?
[7 Marks]

© The University of the West Indies Course Code CHNG 1000 2014/2015

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner
and/or the External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must
be signed by the First and Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar
(Examinations). The EXTERNAL EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with
comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations).

................................................. ..............................................
First Examiner University Examiner

................................................. ..............................................
Second Examiner External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: .................. Date: ....................

 Page 3

4. A mixture of 55 mol % lauric and 45 mol % myristic acid is to be

separated by distillation at 1000Pa to give an overhead tops and
bottoms products of 95 mol % and 10 mol % lauric acid respectively.
The feed enters the column with a flow rate of 1000 kmol hr-1 and is at
its boiling point at column pressure. The column operates under a
constant reflux ratio of 2.

The vapour pressure relationships for the pure components are:

Lauric Acid
2210 1715400
𝑙𝑛𝑃𝐿𝐴 = 20.8375 − −
𝑇 𝑇2

Myristic Acid
1467 2072300
𝑙𝑛𝑃𝑀𝐴 = 19.9356 − −
𝑇 𝑇2
Where
T – Temperature (K)
P – Pressure (Pa)
The boiling points of lauric acid and myristic acid are 439.1K and
459.1K respectively.

Assume Raoult’s Law to be valid.

i. Draw the T vs x,y and the y vs x curves for the system.
[10 Marks]
ii. Calculate the overhead tops and bottoms flow rate. [4 Marks]
iii. Determine the number of theoretical stages. [6 Marks]
iv. Determine the temperature on each stage. [5 Marks]

© The University of the West Indies Course Code CHNG 1000 2014/2015

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner
and/or the External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must
be signed by the First and Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar
(Examinations). The EXTERNAL EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with
comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations).

................................................. ..............................................
First Examiner University Examiner

................................................. ..............................................
Second Examiner External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: .................. Date: ....................

 Page 4

5. a. A solution of NaOH in water has a concentration of 2 mol NaOH per

Litre and a molar density of 53 kmol m-3.

Calculate:

i. The mole fraction of NaOH in solution. [4 Marks]

ii. The mass density of the solution in kg m-3. [6 Marks]

Molecular Weights
NaOH – 40
Water – 18
1 m3 = 103 L

b. A mixture containing 20 mole% butane, 35 mole% pentane and 45

mole% hexane is separated in a distillation column into two products;
a distillate product with a composition of 95 mole% butane, 4 mole%
pentane and 1 mole% hexane and a bottom product. The distillate
product must contain 90% of the butane fed to the column. Calculate
the composition of the bottom product. [15 Marks]

END OF EXAM

© The University of the West Indies Course Code CHNG 1000 2014/2015

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner
and/or the External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must
be signed by the First and Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar
(Examinations). The EXTERNAL EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with
comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations).

................................................. ..............................................
First Examiner University Examiner

................................................. ..............................................
Second Examiner External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: .................. Date: ....................