A catalytic reactor is used to produce formaldehyde from methanol in the reactio

Question

A catalytic reactor is used to produce formaldehyde from methanol in the reaction CH3OH Right arrow HCHO + H2 A single-pass conversion of 70.0% is achieved in the reactor. The methanol in the reactor product is separated from the formaldehyde and hydrogen in a multiple-unit process. The production rate of formaldehyde is 800.0 kg/h. Calculate the required feed rate of methanol to the process (kmol/h) if there is no recycle. Suppose the recovered methanol is recycled to the reactor and the single-pass conversion remains 70%. Without doing any calculations, prove that you have enough information to determine the required fresh feed rate of methanol (kmo/h) and the rates (kmol/h) at which methanol enters and leaves the reactor. Then perform the calculations, The single-pass conversion in the reactor, Xsp, affects the costs of the reactor (Cr) and the separation process and recycle line (Cs). What effect would you expect an increased Xsp would have on each of these costs for a fixed formaldehyde production rate? What would you expect a plot of (Cr +Cs) versus Xsp to look like? What does the design specification Xsp = 70% probably represent?

Explanation / Answer

32g/mol of methanol gives 30g/mol CH2O but here given that convertion of methanol is 70%

so it means methanol reaction for 1 mole = 0.32*70 = 22.4g

then for 22.4g of methanol yields the CH2O = 22.4*30/32 = 21g

0.0224kg methanol gives 0.021kg of CH2O then

the methanol required for produse the 800kg of CH2O = 800*0.0224/0.021 = 853.33 kg/h

853.33 kg/h is only 70% of methanol for 100% methanol required = 853.33 kg/h*100/70 = 1219kg/h

the required feed rate of methanol = 1219kg/h

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