B. Tech. class End_Term 2020-21/Even/05.05.

21

Mass Transfer I (CHC 403)

IV Sem End Term Examination 2020-21

Time: Two hours Full Marks – 60

The Exam starts at 10:00 am and ends at 12:00 noon. Submission time: on or before 12:15 pm; Fifteen
minutes will be allotted for scanning and mailing.
Instruction: Answer should be in handwritten by blue ink (not black) ballpoint pen. Each page top must contain the
name, roll no, date and Question no. After the completion of writing, the pages to be scanned to make a single
pdf file of size within 10 MB. The name of the file should be like 19CH1001_END_CHC403 or
19CH8001_END_CHC403. It should be mailed to anupkumar.sadhukhan@che.nitdgp.ac.in. The script
received after 12:15 pm will not be accepted. Ordinary graph/ Triangular graph paper may be used.

Answer any five (12x5=60)

1. A gas sample consists of ammonia (A) and air (B) and ammonia is being absorbed in a packed
tower using water. In the gas phase, the air does not dissolve appreciably in water and water loss
by evaporation is negligible. Identify the diffusion process and write down the expression of
molar fluxes for A and B using Fick’s law of diffusion. The diffusion path length for the diffusion
film be Z and the partial pressure for A at the two ends are p A1 and pA2, respectively. The total
pressure along the diffusion film is constant to pt. Derive the expression of partial pressure of A
at any location Z. How the partial pressure of B varies along the diffusion path ?. What is log
mean partial pressure of B. Hence plot the variation of pA, pB and pBM along the diffusion path
with an adequately labelled diagram. Write all assumptions and all necessary equations.

2. The equilibrium relationship y*A = f(xA) is non-linear and concave upward. The overall mass
transfer coefficient based on gas and liquid phase is Ky and Kx with the approximated equilibrium
constant m. Derive the expression of the overall mass transfer coefficients in terms of individual
film coefficients. Hence derive the expression to relate Ky and Kx. Hence draw a labeled diagram
yA vs. xA to show the concentrations y*A, x*A, yAi, xAi etc., along with the other essential
information.

3. The Industrial air sample contains heptane as an impurity. The same can be removed by
absorption by organic oil. The equilibrium relationship for air-heptane-oil is given by Y* = 2X
(Y* and X are in kg heptane/kg air and kg heptane/kg oil, respectively). The oil containing 0.005
kg heptane/kg oil is being used as a solvent for reducing the heptane content of air to 0.02 kg
heptane/kg air in a continuous counter-current packed bed absorber. Calculate the height of the
tower to process 1400 kg/hr. m2 of pure air containing heptane 0.1 kg heptane/kg air using the oil
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 rate of 3100 kg/hr. m2. The overall gas-phase mass transfer coefficient is 320 kg/hr. m3 per unit
gradient of Y. Calculate also the minimum oil rate, the corresponding outlet oil concentration and
the outlet oil concentration at the given operating conditions. (Derive all necessary equations you
are using and mention the unit at each step). (6+3+3)

4. A gas absorber is to be designed to handle 900 m3/h (at 808 mm Hg pressure and 300 K) of coal
gas containing 2% by volume benzene. The solvent enters at the top of the tower comprises 0.005
mol fraction of benzene with the average molecular weight of the solvent 260. Calculate the
minimum solvent flow rate to remove 95 % of benzene enters in the tower. Suppose the operating
solvent flow rate is 1.5 times the minimum. Calculate the solvent circulation rate kg/s and the
corresponding benzene mole fraction in outlet solvent. The equilibrium relation is given as
Y and X are in mole ratio.

5. A three staged counter current leaching unit is used to treat the crushed oil seeds containing 28
mass% oil. The oil is to be extracted with hexane to reduce the oil content in the underflow. 100
kg/h of the solvent is used in the third stage, while 100 kg/h of the feed enters in the first stage.
Using the extraction equilibrium data given below, determine the compositions of the underflow
and overflow from 1st and 2nd stage and also calculate the mass flow rates of various streams
around 1st stage only. The composition YC1 and ZV1 from 1st stage is 0.28 and 0.008,
respectively. Use the solid free basis for calculation

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6. A steady state three staged cross current extraction unit is used to extract diphenyl hexane (DPH)
from a solution in docosane (A) using pure furfural (B) as the solvent. The feed enters the 1st stage
at a rate of 2000 kg/h with 45% DPH (C) while the solvent rate is 1250 kg/h for each stage.
Determine the composition and mass flow rate of extract and raffinate from each stages and the
composition of final extract and raffinate phases. Assume each stage is ideal one and the
extraction is to be carried out at 45°C. Several compositions of the extract and the raffinate arms
and the tie-line data in mass% of the components at 45°C are given below.

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