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Process Calculations
Material Balance
GATE 2011
Hard

Ammonia is synthesised at 200 bar and 773K by N2+3H2⇌2NH3, with fresh feed 75mol% H2, 24mol% N2, 1mol% inerts. The recycle stream is 75mol% H2, 15mol% N2, 10mol% inerts. The single pass conversion for H2 in the reactor is 20%. The amount of H2 lost in the purge as a PERCENTAGE of H2 in fresh feed is

  • 10
  • B20
  • C45
  • D55

Explanation

Basis 100 mol fresh feed: 1 mol inerts enters, all leaving via purge (inerts don't react and don't appear in the ammonia product). Inert balance: 1=0.10×Ppurge ⟹ Ppurge=10 mol. H2 lost in purge=0.75×10=7.5 mol. As a percentage of fresh-feed H2 (75 mol): 7.5/75×100=10%.

Source: GATE CH 2011 (2011)

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