Question

Hydrogen (H) is an important product for a large number of applications and can be produced by the following chemical reaction:

CO + H2O + CO2 + H2

In order to produce Hydrogen, a process is designed with the following configuration:

The feed to the reactor is made up of water and carbon monoxide (CO) in an unknown proportion. Once the reaction occurs, the effluent from the reactor, which has 3 mol% H2, passes through a separator from which two streams leave: 1) the product stream containing 48 mol% H2 and CO2 respectively and 4% of CO and 2) the recirculation stream that is composed of H2O and CO. The recirculation stream joins the fresh feed to the process (which only contains CO and H2O) and the mixture of these streams constitutes the feed to the reactor. Assume 100 moles of the product stream and use atomic balances to determine:

A. The composition of the fresh feed to the process.
B. The ratio of moles recirculated / mol H2 produced.

Answer 1

Date: Co in feed & Co in Recycle Co in wt to consunted for H2 production. → Product (P) | Reactor 1 W Feed H₂ =48% co2=52 =524 to in feed t Recycle (R) Co = 40% H₂O=96% 60= 60+ 48 42 in product = 48 moke, sol mol H2 regelired Imol Assume 100 moles of product stream P2100 moles H₂ in p = 48 moles Co2 in pos2moles a's Co in feed = 48 moles ho in feed G8 mote Ratio of moles retroubad / mo142 produced 21500 31.25 48 effluent from the Rea vor conlein 34 H2 0.03 x W = 48 moles in P ni Wa 48 1600 moles 0.03 W-R+P & R = W-p = 16w 1w 50 mols Coin R=4%= 60 mole, 420 in R = 1440 mole Heth les in w a lozin product Co in w=52mole Co in w Coin R = 60 mols 420 in W=H20 in R = 1440 mote