Midterm Quiz #1 Reactor Design

July 9.2021
I. Write the letter of the best answer
1. A first order irreversible reaction, A → B is carried out separately in a constant volume as well as in a variable
volume reactor for a particular period using the same initial concentration. It signifies that __________ in the
two reactors.
B
a. both conversion as well as concentration are same
b. conversion in both will be the same but concentrations will be different
c. both the conversion as well as concentrations will be different
d. none of these.
2. In flow reactors, the performance equations interrelate the rate of reaction to the
a. feed rate c. extent of reaction.
b. reactor volume d. all (a), (b) and (c).
D

3. A stirred tank reactor compared to tubular-flow reactor provides

4. A chemical reaction, A 3B, is conducted in a constant pressure vessel. Starting with pure A, the volume of the reaction
mixture increases 3 times in 6 minutes. The fractional conversion is
a. 0.33 b. 0.5 c. 1 d. Data is insufficient, can’t be predicted
C

5. The most unsuitable reactor for carrying out reactions in which high reactant concentration favors high yields is
a. backmix reactor b. plug flow reactor c. batch d. PFR in series
A

6. Pick out the wrong statement pertaining to space velocity of flow reactors.
a. The unit of space velocity is (time)-1 .
b. The space velocity of 3 hr-1 means that three reactor volumes of feed at specified conditions are being fed into
the reactor every hour
c. The space velocity of 3 hr-1 means that one third reactor volume of feed at specified conditions are being fed
into the reactor
d. none of these.
C
7. A batch reactor is suitable for
a. achieving low percent conversion of reactants into products.
b. large scale gaseous phase reactions.
c. liquid phase reactions.
d. obtaining uniform polymerisation products in highly exothermic reactions.
C
8. The following statements describe the continuously stirred single-batch reactors, except one.
a. No feed is introduced and no product is drawn out during reaction time
b. Concentration of reactants is uniform throughout the reactor volume
c. Concentration of reactants vary as a function of time
 d. Feed is introduced as product is drawn out
e. There is shutdown time between reaction time
A
9. The following statements describe plug-flow reactors except one
a. Feed is introduced simultaneously as product is drawn out
b. Concentration of reactants is not uniform throughout the reactor volume
c. Concentration of reactants vary as a function of time
d. Volumetric feed rate may not necessarily be equal to the volumetric product draw-out rate.
C

10. Which of the following is not always a valid assumption for an ideal Plug Flow Reactor
a. There is no axial mixing of fluid inside the vessel (in the direction of the flow)
b. The density of the flowing fluid is constant
c. There is complete radial mixing of fluid
d. The flow through the vessel, both, input and output, is continuous
e. The point concentration of reactant is constant.
C
11. When fluid density is constant which of the following is/are valid
a. t batch   k  t batch v k b. t plugflow   plugflow c. tbatch vk  t plugflow
D. All of these e. None of these
D
12. Which of the following is/are valid for all conditions
a. t batch   k  t batch v k b. t plugflow   plugflow
tbatch vk  t plugflow d. t batch   k  t plugflow
b.
D
13. Which of the following reactors is the formula for space time applicable   t  t s
a. Single-Batch reactor b. Plug-Flow reactor c. Back-Mix reactor
d. All of these e. None of these
A
14. A reactor is generally termed as an autoclave, when it is a
a. high pressure batch reactor c. high pressure tubular reactor.
b. atmospheric pressure tank reactor d. atmospheric pressure CSTR
A
15. In flow reactors, the performance equations interrelate the rate of reaction to the
a. feed rate b. reactor volume c. extent of reaction d. all of these
D
16. A high space velocity means that a given
a. reaction can be accomplished with small reactor. b. conversion can be obtained with a high feed rate.
C. both (a) and (b) d. none of these.
C
17. In a/an ________ reactor, there is exchange of heat with the surroundings with sizeable temperature
variation.
a. Adiabatic b. Isothermal c. Non-adiabatic d. None of these
C
18. Pick out the wrong statement.
a. In a batch reactor, which is exclusively used for liquid phase reactions; temperature pressure and
composition may vary with time.
b. In a semi-batch reactor, one reactant is charged batch-wise, while the other reactant is fed continuously.
c. In a continuous flow reactor, uniform concentration can be maintained throughout the vessel in a well
agitated system.
 d. In a continuous flow reactor, both the reactants and the products flow out continuously.
C
19. An autothermal reactor is
a. most suitable for a second order reaction.
b. most suitable for a reversible reaction.
c. completely self-supporting in its thermal energy requirements.
d. isothermal in nature.
C
20. In an ideal tubular-flow reactor
a. there is no mixing in longitudinal direction.
b. mixing takes place in radial direction.
c. there is a uniform velocity across the radius.
d. all (a), (b) and (c).
D
21. Which of the following is the most suitable for very high pressure gas phase reaction ?
a. Batch reactor b. Tubular flow reactor c. Stirred tank reactor d. Fluidised bed reactor

22. The following statements describe the continuously stirred single-batch reactors, except one.
a. No feed is introduced and no product is drawn out during reaction time
b. Concentration of reactants is uniform throughout the reactor volume
c. Concentration of reactants vary as a function of time
d. Feed is introduced as product is drawn out
A
23. The half-life of a material undergoing a first-order decay is
a. proportional to the initial concentration b. proportional to the square-root of initial concentration
c. not dependent on the initial concentration d. dependent on initial concentration
D
24. The following statements describe plug-flow reactors except one
a. Feed is introduced simultaneously as product is drawn out
b. Concentration of reactants is not uniform throughout the reactor volume
c. Concentration of reactants vary as a function of time
d. Volumetric feed rate may not necessarily be equal to the volumetric product draw-out rate.
c
25. A plug-flow reactor is characterised by
a. high capacity b. presence of axial mixing c. presence of lateral mixing
e. constant composition and temperature of reaction mixture
c
26. For a tubular reactor with space time τ and residence time t, the following statement holds good
a. τ and t are always equal b. τ = t , when the fluid density changes in the reactor
c. τ = t , for an isothermic tubular reactor in which the density of the process fluid is constant
d. τ = t , for a non-isothermal reactor
C
27. A chemical reaction, A  3B, is conducted in a constant pressure vessel. Starting with pure A, the volume of the
reaction mixture increases 3 times in 6 minutes. The fractional conversion is
a. 0.5 b. 0.33 c. 0.25 d. 1
D
28. If the time required to complete a definite fraction of reaction varies inversely as the concentration of the
reactants, then the order of reaction is
a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3
29. For an isothermal variable volume batch reactor, the following relation is applicable for a first order
irreversible reaction.
C Ao  d 
a. XA = k t b.  x A  k c. -ln(1 - XA) = kt d. εAln (1 - XA) = kt
1   A x A  dt 

30. A first order reaction requires two equal sized CSTR. The conversion is______
a. less when they are connected in series
b. more when they are connected in series.
c. more when they are connected in parallel
d. same whether they are connected in series or in parallel

II. Problems
1. Three plug flow reactors (PFR's) of 4, 5 & 6 m3 volumes are arranged in three branches as shown below in
the figure.
Reactor I = 4 m3

F Reactor II = 5 m3

Reactor III = 6 m3

If the total feed rate is 300 tons/hr, then for the same conversion in each branch, the feed rate through branch III should be
__________ tons/hr.
a. 100 b. 120 c. 150 d. 225

2. In a batch reactor having a volume of 1000 liters and operating isothermally, 70% of a liquid reactant is
converted in 25 minutes. The reaction is represented by the equation A  R
What is the size of a plug-flow reactor to effect the same conversion and capacity if the downtime between
batches for batch reactor is 30 minutes?
a. 455 liters b. 500 liters c. 1000 liters d. 1025 liters

3. For the liquid phase zero order irreversible reaction A→ B, the conversion of A in a CSTR is found to be 0.3 at
a space velocity of 0.1min-1 . What will be the conversion for a PFR with a space velocity of 0.2 min -1? Assume
that all the other operating conditions are the same for CSTR and PFR.
a. 0.15 b. 0.30 c. 0.60 d. 0.90
 4. The reaction 2A  2R + S takes place isothermally in a variable-volume experimental reactor. Starting with a
mixture of 80% A and 20% inerts, and total initial pressure of 10 atm, a 50% conversion is attained in 10
minutes.
What space time is needed to effect the same conversion in a plug-flow reactor?
a. 22.28 minutes b. 10.00 minutes c. 11.28 minutes d. 11.50%

5. Find the percent conversion of a two-back-mix reactor in series with the following data:
(-rA) = kCA2; k = 0.5L/mol-h; vo= 100 L/h; V1= 100L; V2= 200L; CAo= 1 mol/L
a. 50.90% b. 26.80% c. 73.20% d. 49.10%