Problem 1

In a contact sulfuric acid plant the secondary converter is a tray type converter, 2.3 m in diameter with the
catalyst arranged in three layers, each 0.45 m thick. The catalyst is in the form of cylindrical pellets 9.5 mm
in diameter and 9.5 mm long. The void fraction is 0.35. The gas enters the converter at 675 K and leaves at
720 K. Its inlet composition is: SO 3 6.6%, SO2 1.7%, O2 10.0%, N2 81.7% mole percent and its exit
composition is: SO3 8.2%, SO2 0.2%, O2 9.3%, N2 82.3% mole percent. The column operates at 1 atm
pressure. The gas flowrate is 0.68 kg/m 2 s while its average viscosity is 0.032 mPa s.
1. Determine the superficial velocity of the gas in the column.
2. What is the average density of the gas?
3. What is the surface-volume diameter of the catalyst?
4. Calculate the pressure drop through the entire converter using Ergun equation.

Problem 2
5. What is the mass of a sphere of material of density 7500 kg/m 3 whose terminal velocity in a large
deep tank of water is 0.6 m/s?

6. What will be the terminal falling velocity of a glass sphere 1 mm in diameter in water if the density
of glass is 2500 kg/m3?

7. If the glass spheres in #6 has a volumetric concentration of 40%, what will be the settling velocity
of the entire glass spheres?

Problem 3
15 kg of particles of particle density 2000 kg/m3 are fluidized in a vessel of cross-sectional area 0.03 m2 by a fluid of
density 900 kg/m3.
8. What is the frictional pressure drop across the bed?
9. If the bed height is 0.6 m, what is the bed voidage?

Problem 4
A packed bed of solid particles of density 2500 kg/m3, occupies a depth of 1 m in a vessel of cross-sectional area
0.04 m2. The mass of solids in the bed is 50 kg and the surface-volume mean diameter of the particles is 1 mm. A
liquid of density 800 kg/m3 and viscosity 0.002 Pa s flows upwards through the bed.
10. Calculate the voidage of the bed.
11. Calculate the pressure drop across the bed when the volume flow rate of liquid is 1.44 m3/h.
12. Calculate the pressure drop across, the bed when it becomes fluidized.

Problem 5
Table salt is being fed to a vibrating screen at the rate of 300 lb/hr. The desired product is the 48/65 mesh
fraction. A 48- and a 65-mesh screen are therefore used (double deck), the feed being introduced on the
48-mesh screen, the product being discharged from the 65-mesh screen. During the operation it was
observed that the average proportion of oversize: product: undersized was 2: 1 ½: 1.
13. Calculate the effectiveness of the 48-mesh screen.
14. Calculate the effectiveness of the 65-mesh screen.
15. Determine the screening area of the 48-mesh screen.
16. Determine the screening area of the 65-mesh screen.
 Screen Feed, mass Oversize, mass Product, mass Undersize, mass
Mesh fraction fraction fraction fraction
-10 + 14 0.000356 0.0008
-14 + 20 0.00373 0.008 0.0005 0.00003
-20 + 28 0.089 0.189 0.016 0.00012
-28 + 35 0.186 0.389 0.039 0.0009
-35 + 48 0.261914 0.337 0.322 0.0086
-48 + 65 0.281 0.066 0.5295 0.344
-65 + 100 0.091 0.005 0.067 0.299
-100 + 150 0.062 0.005 0.024 0.2373
-150 + 200 0.025 0.0002 0.002 0.11005

Additional given:
For the 48-mesh screen, screening opening is 0.0117 in. and nominal wire diameter is 0.0085.
For the 65-mesh screen, screening opening is 0.0083 in. and nominal wire diameter is 0.0060.
Unit capacity of the screens is 1.5 tons/(h ft2).

Problem 6
A material is crushed in a Blake jaw crusher such that the average size of particle is reduced from 50 mm
to 10 mm with the consumption of energy of 13.0 kW/(kg/s). What would be the consumption of energy
needed to crush the same material of average size 75 mm to an average size of 25 mm:

17. Assuming Rittinger’s law applies?

18. Assuming Kick’s law applies?
19. Assuming Bond’s law applies?