Ethylene oxide is produced by the catalytic oxidation of ethylene: C₂H₄ (g) + ½ O₂ (g) C₂H₄O (g) an undesired competing reaction is the combustion of ethylene to CO₂. The feed to a reactor contains 2 mol C₂H₄/mol 0₂ the conversion and yield in the reactor are respectively 25% and 0.70 mol C₂H₄O produced/mol C₂H₄ consumed. A multiple-unit process separates the reactor outlet stream components: C₂H₄ and 0₂ are recycled to the reactor, C₂H₄O sold, and CO₂ and H₂0 are discarded. The reactor inlet and outlet streams are each at 450°C, and the fresh feed and all species leaving the separation process are at 25°C. The combined fresh feed-recycle stream is preheated to 450°C.

(a) Taking a basis of 2 mol of ethylene entering the reactor, draw and label a flowchart of the complete process (show the separation process as a single unit) and calculate the molar amounts and compositions of all process streams.

(b) Calculate the heat requirement (kJ) for the entire process and that for the reactor alone.

Data for C₂H₄O (g)

ΔH˚_f = – 51.00 kJ/mol C_p [J/ (mol ∙K)] = – 4.69 + 0.2061 T – 9.995 x 10^-5T² where T is in Kelvin.

(c) Calculate the flow rate (kg/h) and composition of the fresh feed and the overall and reactor heat requirements (kW) for a production rate of 1500 kg C₂H₄O /day.