Propylene glycol is an important commodity chemical $(1$ billion lbs$./$year$).$ It is manufactured

via the hydrolysis $($at room temperature$)$ of a propylene oxide$-$methanol mixture catalyzed by

water infused with $0\mathrm{.}1$wt$\%$ H $2$ SO $4.$ You have available a $300-$gallon glass$-$lined $($why$?)$

CSTR$.$ Your boss is eager to ramp$-$up production and tells you to $$get on it$!$ Proceed with

the calculations noting that propylene oxide has a low boiling point $($~$95$ F$).$ The boiling

point of the methanol is ~ $148$ F$.$

You are feeding $2500$ lbm$/$h $(43\mathrm{.}04$ lbmoles$/$h$)$ of PO into the reactor. The feed stream

consists of $(1)$ an equi$-$volumetric mixture of propylene oxide $(46\mathrm{.}62$ ft $3/$h$)$ and methanol

$(46\mathrm{.}62$ ft $3/$h$)$ and $(2)$ water containing $0\mathrm{.}1$wt$\%$ H $2$ SO $4.$ The volumetric flow rate of water is

$233\mathrm{.}1$ ft $3/$h which is $2\mathrm{.}5$ times the methanol$-$PO mixture volumetric flow rate. The molar

flow rates of methanol and water are $71\mathrm{.}87$ lbmoles$/$h and $802\mathrm{.}8$ lbmoles$/$h respectively.

Both feed streams enter the reactor at $58$ F$.$

k $=16\mathrm{.}96*1012($e $-32,400/$RT $)$ h $-1$

E is in Btu$/$lbmole and T is in $$R$.$ Analyze this request. Will this reactor work?

$($a$)$ Reproduce the graphs for X EB and X MB using plotting software.

$($b$)$ Now, add a cooling coil to the reactor. It has an overall HT coefficient U $=100$

Btu$/$h$*$ft $2*$F$.$ The coil has cooling surface of $40$ ft $2$ and is capable of maintaining a

constant temperature of $85$ F$.$ Provide analysis of the reaction temperature and

conversion. Justify your conclusions.