Ammonia is produced by the catalytic reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen. a) Write

Question

Ammonia is produced by the catalytic reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen. a) Write the chemical reaction and balance it. Determine the stoichiometric coefficients. b) If 15 mol/sec of H_2 is fed to the reactor, determine the amount of N_2 required if a 20.% excess (of N_2) is desired. c) If 5.0 mol/sec of H_2 exits the catalytic reactor, determine: i) xi ii) the number of moles of all three components exiting the reactor. iii) the conversion of H_2 and N_2. iv) the exiting concentration of H_2, N_2, and ammonia. d) What are strategies to increase the conversion of H_2?

Explanation / Answer

(a)

Reaction for production of ammonia is

N2 + 3 H2 -----> 2 NH3

1 mole 3 mole 2 mole

(b) According to stoichometry for 3 moles of H2 we need one mole of N2

hence for 15 mol/sec of N2 we need 15/3 = 5 mol/s of N2

Given we need 20 % excess N2 . so we need 1.2 moles instead of one mole

Hence amount of N2 required for given H2 to react = 1.2 * 5 = 6 mol/sec of N2 Answer

(c) if 5 mol/sec of H2 comes out of the reactor then 10 mol/s of H2 has reacted.

so fractional conversion = (15 - 5) / 15 = 0.6667 or 66.67 % Answer c(i)

outlet composition

if 10 mol of H2 reacts then 10/3 = 3.33 moles of N2 will react

so 6- 3.33 = 2.67 moles of N2 will remain

and according to stoichometry 10 mol/s of H2 will react to give 10*2/3 = 6.67 mol/s of NH3

so outlet composition will be

N2 = 2.67 mol/s ; H2 = 5 mol/s ; NH3 = 6.67 mol/s Answer c(ii)

conversion of H2 is 66.67 % and

conversion of N2 is (6-2.67) /6 = 0.555 or 55.5 % Answer c(iii)

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