Ethylene oxide (C2H4O) is a high-volume chemical intermediate that is used to produce glyc...

Ethylene oxide (C2H4O) is a high-volume chemical intermediate that is used to produce glycol and polyethylene glycol. Ethylene oxide is produced by the partial oxidation of ethylene (C2H4) using a solid catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor:

In addition, a portion of the ethylene reacts completely to form CO2 and H2O:

C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

The product gas leaving a fixed-bed ethylene oxide reactor has the following water-free composition: 20.5% CH4O, 72.7 N2, 2.3 O2, and 4.5% CO2. Determine the percent excess air based in the desired reaction, and the pounds per hour of ethylene feed required to produce 100,000 ton/yr of ethylene oxide.