Solution of CRE Paper

Question # 1: Describe briefly about catalysts

Promotors: The substance added during the preparation of a catalyst which improves activity
or selectivity or stabilizes the catalytic agent so as to prolong its life.
The promoter is present in a small amount and by itself has little activity. There are various
types, depending on how they act to improve the catalyst. Perhaps the most extensive studies of
promoters has been in connection with iron catalysts for the ammonia synthesis reaction. It was
found that adding Al2O3 (other promoters are CaO, K2O) prevented reduction by sintering in
surface area during catalyst use and gave an increased activity over a longer period of time.
Some promoters are also believed to increase the number of active centers and so make the
existing catalyst surface more active.

Inhibitors: An inhibitor is the opposite of promoter. When added in small amounts during
catalyst manufacture, it lessens activity, stability or selectivity.
Inhibitors are useful for reducing activity of a catalyst for an undesirable side reaction. For
example silver supported on alumina is an excellent oxidation catalyst. In particular, it is used
widely in the production of ethylene oxide from ethylene. However, at the same conditions
complete oxidation to carbon dioxide and water also occurs, so that selectivity to C2H4O is poor.
It has been found that adding halogen compounds to the catalyst inhibits the complete oxidation
and results in satisfactory

Poisons: In some systems the catalyst activity decreases so slowly that exchange for new
material or regeneration is required only at long intervals. Examples are promoted catalyst for
synthetic ammonia and catalysts containing metals such as platinum and silver. Catalysts for
cracking and some other hydrocarbon reactions, however require frequent regeneration. The
decrease in activity is due to poisons, which will be defined here as substances, either in the
reactants stream or produced by the reaction, which lower the activity of the catalyst.

Question # 2: PFR derivation

Question # 3: Define followings
Rate of reaction: Rate of a chemical reaction is the No.of moles of reactants consumed or
product formed per unit base per unit time.
Actually rate of chemical reaction is related to the speed of reaction in a unit time.
1 ( /)
=
()

Base: Base can be different in different cases

1. For liquid-liquid system base is volume of fluid
2. For fluid solid system base is mass of solid
3. For gas solid system base is unit volume of solid
4. For catalytic gas solid system base is the interfacial surface area of solid system
5. For gas-gas system base is volume of reactor

Molecularity
Molecularity of an elementary reaction is the
number of molecules involved in the
chemical reaction
It is valid for an elementary reaction
Its value obtained from stoichiometry
equation
Its typical values are 1,2,3
It is always positive integer and can never be
negative, fractional or zero
Order
The order of a reaction given by sum of all
the exponents of the concentrations
appearing in the rate equation
It is valid for both elementary and non-
elementary reactions
Its value obtained from rate law only
Its typical values ranges from -3 3
It can be positive, negative fractional or zero
Question # 4: Comparison List