Engineering Homework Help
Engineering Homework Help. Ethanol production by hydration of ethylene
Ethanol can be produced by the hydration of ethylene.
C2H4 + H2O C2H5OH
There is a side reaction that produces ethyl ether
2C2H5OH (C2H5)2O + H2O
The feed flow rate of ethylene and steam to the reactor is 6×10-3 kmole/m2 s to the reactor and contains P% C2H4, Q% H2O and the balance inert materials on a mole basis. An ethylene conversion of R% and ethanol yield of S% is achieved. Compute the composition of the reactor output stream.The reactor used for the process consists of a number of tubes each of 120 mm diameter packed with catalyst with a bulk density of 1600 kg/m3.Estimate the length and number of tubes required to produce 10000kg/ hr of ethyl ether.
From literature review identify the suitable operating conditions and critically analyse the process to obtain this yield