n-Butanol (C4H10O) and acrylic acid (C3H4O2) undergo a liquid phase esterification process at

85 oC and 3 bar in a catalytic reactor to form 170,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTA) of butyl

acrylate (C7H12O2) and water. The feed to the reactor, which is at 25 oC and 1 bar, contains

35% by mass of acrylic acid and the rest is n-butanol. In the reaction, only 93% of acrylic acid

is converted into the products. The product stream is at the same temperature and pressure as

formation: f, C4H10O (l) = -327.58 kJ/mol, f, C3H4O2 (l) = - 383.80 kJ/mol, f, C7H12O (l) = - 422.6 kJ/mol.

(a) Draw and label the process flow diagram completely. (2 Marks)

(b) Calculate the molar flowrate (mol/h) and mole fraction of each component appearing in the inlet and outlet stream. (4 Marks)

(c) By taking the molecular species [C4H10O (l), C3H4O2 (l), C7H12O2 (l), H2O (l)] at 25 C and 1 atm as the reference states, construct an inlet-outlet enthalpy table and analyse the required heat transfer (MW) whether to or from the reactor. (12 Marks)

(d) If the reactor is well insulated, investigate the temperature of the outlet stream whether it will be higher, lower, or equal to 85 oC assuming that the pressure is maintained at 3 bar. Justify your answ