Reference no: EM133201720

Pure ethylene (C2H4) and oxygen (Fl) are fed to a process for the manufacturing of ethylene oxide (C2H40).

2C2H4 + 02-4 2C2H40

The feed is mixed with a recycle stream (R) to give the feed to the reactor (F2). The reactor product (PI) then goes to a separation section where three different streams are formed; a pure ethylene oxide stream (P2), a gas stream (G) containing C02, H20 and 02, and a pure ethylene stream. The ethylene stream is recycled

The catalytic reactor operates at 300 ⁰ C and 1.2 atm. At these conditions the single pass conversion of ethylene fed to the reactor is 50 ⁰/0, of whÏch 70% is converted to ethylene oxide. The remaÎnÎng 30% decompose to form C02 and H20.

C2H4 + 302-4 2C02 + 2H20

For a production of 10 000 kg ethylene oxide per day,

a) Sketch the flow diagram of the plant and label all the streams.

b) Calculate the m³/hr of total gas entering the reactor at STP if the ration of the oxygen fed to the fresh ethylene is 3:2.

c) Calculate the recycle ratio: m³ at 10 ⁰ C and -100 kPa of ethylene recycled per of fresh ethylene at (6)³

d) Calculate the m/day gas mixture that exits the separator at G, Îf the stream is operated at 80 ⁰ C and 100 kPa.