Ethanol is produced commercially by hydration of ethylene C_2 H_4 + H_2 O righta

Question

Ethanol is produced commercially by hydration of ethylene C_2 H_4 + H_2 O rightarrow c_2 h_5 OH. A side rxn also takes place to form an ether a C_2H_5OH rightarrow (C_2H_5)_2 O + H_2O The feed to the reactor Contains ethylene, Steam and Inert gas (I).A Sample of the reactor effluent gas is analyzed and found to contain 43.3% 2.5%. ethanol, 0.14%. ether, 9.31 inert and the balance water (all on moles Basis). Using a basis of 100 moles of exiting Molar composition of the reactor feed Convert on of ethylene The of ethanol The selectivity ethanol Relative to ether.

Explanation / Answer

Given data:

n=100 moles

product

ethylene=43.3 mole

ethanol=2.5 mole

ether=0.14 mole

Innert=9.3 mole

water=44.76 mole

(a)

Here independent is only ether.So we start with ether

From second reaction

2C2H5OH=(C2H5)2O+H2O

2 moles of ethanol produced=1 moles of ether=1 moles of water

? = 0.14 moles of ether

So in second reaction ethanol moles=0.14*2=0.28 moles reacted

Now from 1st reaction

C2H4+H2O------->C2H5OH

1 mole of ethylene produced &1 mole of steam produced=1 mole of ethanol

So taking ethanol balnce around the reactor

ethanol produced-ethanol consumed =ethanol remain

if x moles of ethanol produced from reaction 1

x-0.28 moles=2.5

x=2.5+0.28=2.78 moles

Means 2.78 moles of ethylene reacted and 2.78 moles of steam reacted

Now taking ethylene balance

ethylene in =ethylene consumed+ethylene out=2.78+43.3=46.08 moles

Now taking steam balnce

water in=water consumed +water out-water produce=2.78-0.14+44.76=47.4 moles

So Feed:

ethylene=46.08 moles

water=47.4 moles

(b)

Fractional conversion of ethylene = (intial moles-final moles)/initial moles=(46.08-43.3)/46.08=0.06=6%

(c) the fractional yield of ethanol =mole of desired product/mole of reactant

so yield= moles of ethanol/moles of ethylene in feed=2.5/46.08=0.054

(d) Selectivity of ethanol=desired product/undesired product=mole of ethanol/mole of ether=2.5/0.14=17.86

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