The potato chip company operates by using 150 lb/hr of dirty, unpeeled potatoes.

Question

The potato chip company operates by using 150 lb/hr of dirty, unpeeled potatoes. They enter the plant and go through the washing, peeling, slicing, cooking, oil separation and seasoning steps prior to packaging.
1. In addition to the 150 lb/hr of dirty potatoes, water enters stage 1 (washing) at 200 lb/hr and cleans off the dirt from the potatoes, creating a waste stream that leaves stage 1 at 206 lb/hr. Assuming the potatoes leaving stage 1 soak up 2 lbs/hr of water (and contain no dirt), how much dirt is there on 150 lbs of potatoes? 8 1bs


3. The weight or mass fraction of a process stream is defined as the ratio of one component's mass to the total mass of the stream. Since the entire stream is flowing at the same rate, this equals the mass flow rate of component 1 divided by the total mass flow rate of wet potatoes (which you determined in question 1). What is the weight (mass) fraction of potatoes in the stream that enters the peeling process?
A. 98.6 wt% B. 90 wt % C. 85 wt% D. 70 wt % E. <50 wt%

Explanation / Answer

the total mass should be conserved. let m be the mass of dirt. this mass goes into the water coming out. and also 2 lb of water is being soaked. so water which comes out = 200-2 = 198 lb. total mass of water which should come out(alng with dirt ) = 198+m but given that it weighs 206 lb so 198+m = 206 ==> m= 8 lb weight fraction = (wt.of potatoes coming in/going out) wt of incoming potatoes = 150-8 =142 wt of potatoes coming out = 142+2= 144 so weight fraction = 142/144 = 0.9861 % fraction is 98.61% hence ans is A.

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