A conceptual design for a cumene production process (250 ton/day of cumene) is to be performed. Cumene is produced from benzene and propylene by the following reaction: C6H6 + C3H6 C9H12 An undesired reaction of cumene and propylene to form p-diisopropylbenzene (p-DIPB) also occurs: C9H12 + C3H6 C12H18 Both reactions are irreversible. The following table summarises the Input Information for the process. Production rate (tons/day) 250 Raw materials 95% propylene 5% propane at 25C $ 900/ton Pure benzene at 25 C $ 750/ton Product Cumene $ 1300/ton By-product p-DIBP $ 600/ton (sold as fuel) Reaction conditions Benzene to propylene ratio (feed to reactor) 4:1 Selectivity: 85% Single-pass Conversion: 100% propylene Selectivity is defined as the moles of cumene produced/moles of propylene converted Assume the plant is available 330 days of the year. 1. Decide whether the process will be batch or continuous. Give reasons for your choice. (2) 2. List all the components in the system with their boiling points (from lowest to highest) and assign a destination code to each component (primary product, purge, fuel, waste, none etc.). (9) 3. Discuss the impact of the propane present in the propylene feed. (3) 4. Discuss why a high benzene to propylene ratio is utilized and the implications of this. (3)

5. Draw and label an input-output structure for the process. Explain your reasoning for the selected structure. (8) 6. Perform an overall material balance for the process, based on the input-output structure and the reaction information provided. Provide flowrates in kmol/h. (15) 7. Determine the economic potential (in $/annum) of the process.