Reference no: EM131682561

The analysis of a coal indicates 70 wt. % C, 20 wt. % H, 2 wt. % S, and the rest is non-combustible ash. The coal is burned at a rate of 5000 kg/h, and the feed rate of air to the furnace is 50,000 mol/min. All of the ash and 6% of the initial C in the fuel leave the furnace as a molten slag. The remainder of the carbon leaves in the stack gas as CO and CO2, and nco2:nco = 10:1. The hydrogen in the coal is oxidized to water, and the sulfur is oxidized to SO2.

a. Calculate the percent excess air fed to the reactor.

b. Calculate the mole fractions of CO and SO2 in the stack gas.

c. Emitted SO2 by itself is a health hazard, but it is a more serious threat to the environment because SO2 is a precursor to acid rain. Under the catalytic action of sunlight, SO2 reacts with O2 and is converted into SO3, which in turn combines with water vapor to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which eventually returns to earth as rainfall. Acid rain formed in this manner has caused extensive damage to forests, fields, and lakes in many parts of the world. For the furnace described above, calculate the rate of formation of sulfuric acid (kg/h) if all the emitted SO2 is converted into H2SO4.