4341-111

CHE 3332/16 October 05, 2016

Assignment #3

1. Nitrogen-hydrogen mixture is diffusing through a capillary tube 50 µm in

diameter and 0.1 m long at 0 oC. The partial pressure of each species at the inlet of
the tube is kept at 2x10-6 bar and zero pressure at the exit.
.
a) Determine the mass transfer regime for nitrogen, if the mean free pass of this
molecule is estimated at 2.94 cm (provide a numerical argument for your
explanation).

b) Calculate the flow rate of nitrogen in kg/s.

c) If one to one mole ratio of hydrogen to nitrogen is originally present at the

capillary inlet, calculate the composition in mole percent at the outlet.

2. The effective diffusivities for passage of hydrogen and nitrogen at 25oC and 1 atm
through a 2-mm thick piece of unglazed porcelain were measured by determining
diffusion fluxes. The measurements provided the effective molecular diffusivity
of N2 in the mixture with H2 of 5.3x10-6 m2/s and the effective Knudsen
diffusivity of hydrogen 1.17x10-5 m2/s. Calculate:

a) the average pore diameter of the solid

b) the pore diffusion flux of CO2 in the mixture with nitrogen, if the total
pressure is 0.1 atm and temperature 25oC with the mole fractions of CO2 of
0.8 and 0.2 on either side of the porcelain. Assume equimolar counter-
diffusion mechanism.

3. A tubular reactor is made of steel that is to be used in the high pressure

hydrogenation of hydrocarbon vapor. The vessel is 3 m long, has internal and
outside radius of 5 cm and 8 cm respectively, and is to be operated at a pressure of
100 atm and a temperature of 450°C. The permeability at this temperature has a
value of 8.4 ·10-6 cm3 (STP) cm/(cm2 s atm)1/2. The equilibrium relation can be
expressed as:

qA = SA (PA)1/2

Calculate hydrogen loss in cm3 (STP)/s.

4. Do problems 7.6-3, 6.5-4 and 6.5-5 from the textbook.

Note: For the problem 7.6-3 use the full solution (Eqn. 7.6-12) and compare with
the approximate solution (Eqn. 7.6-13)

Due date: October 12, 4:00 p.m.