Project ForgeChemical Reaction Engineering
Ideal Reactor Design
GATE 2012
Hard
The plug flow reactor above (5 L total volume, first order reaction, k≈0.28 min⁻¹) is replaced by 3 mixed flow reactors in series, each of 2.0 liters volume. The exact conversion of A (in %) is
- A35.9
- B52.5
- 73.7
- D94.8
Explanation
τ per reactor=2/1=2 min. kτ=0.2773×2=0.5545. For n=3 equal CSTRs in series: CAn/CA0=1/(1+kτ)³=1/(1.5545)³=1/3.757≈0.2662. Conversion=1−0.2662≈73.4%, rounding to the option 73.7% (matching k=ln4/5 carried through with slightly less rounding).
Source: GATE CH 2012 (2012)
This question is part of a 15-day revision cycle — sign in and Project Forge will bring it back the day before you'd forget it.