1. The biodiesel formation reaction is carried out in a plug flow reactor. Oil i
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Question
1. The biodiesel formation reaction is carried out in a plug flow reactor. Oil is fed at a flowrate of 10 mol/s. Methanol is fed at a flowrate of 30 mol/s. Determine the volume of the reactor required for a conversion of 95%. Assume that the reaction is irreversible and the reaction is first order with respect to both oil and methanol. Assume that the density of the mixture stays constant along the reactor as 5000 mol/m3. The rate constant for this reaction is 1 m3/(mol.s). The design equation for a plug flow reactor is rA=dFA/dV. State all your assumptions. 1. The biodiesel formation reaction is carried out in a plug flow reactor. Oil is fed at a flowrate of 10 mol/s. Methanol is fed at a flowrate of 30 mol/s. Determine the volume of the reactor required for a conversion of 95%. Assume that the reaction is irreversible and the reaction is first order with respect to both oil and methanol. Assume that the density of the mixture stays constant along the reactor as 5000 mol/m3. The rate constant for this reaction is 1 m3/(mol.s). The design equation for a plug flow reactor is rA=dFA/dV. State all your assumptions.Explanation / Answer
Above reaction can be described as following:
Oil + Methanol ----> Biodiesel
Oil feed rate = 10 mol/s
Methanol feed rate = 30 mol/s
Since its first order reaction with respect to both oil and methanol, Oil is a limiting reagent: 10 moles of oil will react 10 moles of methanol to produce 10 moles of Biodisesl
Calculations will be based on oil as a limiting substrate
For 95 % conversion:
Means 95 % of reactants have consumed, only 5 % reactants are left.
Moles of oil left = 5/100*10 = 0.5
Moles of methanol left = 5/100 * 10 = 0.5 + 20 = 20.5 [Out of 30 moles, 20 moles are left unreacted while 95 % of 10 moles are reacted]
Since it is first order reaction, that means 95 % biodiesel is produced.
Oil Methanol Biodiesel
0.5 0.5 + 20 (unreacted) 9.5
Total moles in the reactor = 0.5 + 0.5 + 20 + 9.5 = 30.5 mol
Density of mixture remains constant = 5000 mol/m3
Volume of reactor = Total moles/ Density = 30.5/ 5000 * 1000 L = 6.1 L
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