Ethanol is an important industrial chemical, used as a solvent to synthesize other organic

chemicals, and as an additive to automotive gasoline. Ethanol is also the main intoxicating

ingredient in alcoholic drinks.

Ethanol can be produced commercially though fermentation of carbohydrates or hydration of

ethylene:

ubrace$(C_2{H}_4$ubrace${)}_{\text{E}\text{t}\text{h}\text{y}\text{l}\text{e}\text{n}\text{e}}+H_{2}O$ubrace$(C_2{H}_5$OHubrace${)}_{\text{E}\text{t}\text{h}\text{a}\text{n}\text{o}\text{l}}$

In this hydrolysis $($i$.$e$.,$ hydration process$),$ some of the desired product is converted to diethyl

ether in the side reaction:

$2$ubrace$(C_2{H}_5$OHubrace${)}_{\text{E}\text{t}\text{h}\text{a}\text{n}\text{o}\text{l}}$ubrace$((C_2{H}_5{)}_2$Oubrace${)}_{\text{D}\text{i}\text{e}\text{t}\text{h}\text{y}\text{l}\text{E}\text{t}\text{h}\text{e}\text{r}}+H_{2}O$

As a chemical engineering student intern this summer, you've been asked to analyze an ethanol

reactor.

The reactor feed contains ethylene, steam, and an inert gas. You analyze a sample of the

reactor effluent $($i$.$e$.,$ outlet$)$ and find molar fractions $(Y)$ of $43\mathrm{.}3\%$ ethylene, $2\mathrm{.}5\%$ ethanol, $0\mathrm{.}14\%$

ether, $9\mathrm{.}3\%$ inerts, and the rest water.

a$)$ Using a basis of $100$ moles of effluent gas, draw and label a process flow diagram.

b$)$ To clearly communicate the results of your analysis to your supervisor, report:

i$.$ the molar composition of the reactor feed

ii$.$ the percentage conversion of ethylene

iii. the fractional yield of ethanol

iv$.$ the selectivity of ethanol production relative to ether production

In preparing this debrief, you notice that the percentage conversion of ethylene you calculated is

very low.

c$)$ Why do you think the reactor would be designed to consume so little of the reactant?

Hint: If the reaction mixture remained in the reactor long enough to use up most of the

ethylene, what would the main product constituent probably be$?$

What additional processing steps are likely to take place downstream from the reactor?