Ethylene oxide is produced by the catalytic oxidation ofethylene:
C2H4(g)+12 O2(g)→C2H4O(g)
An undesired competing reaction is the combustion of ethylene toCO2.
The feed to a reactor contains 2 molC2H4/mol O2. The conversion andyield in the reactor are respectively 25% and 0.70 molC2H4O produced/mol C2H4consumed. A multiple-unit process separates the reactor outletstream components: C2H4and O2 arerecycled to the reactor, C2H4O is sold, andCO2 and H2O are discarded. The reactor inletand outlet streams are each at 450°C, and the fresh feed and allspecies leaving the separation process are at 25°C. The combinedfresh feed-recycle stream is preheated to 450°C.
(a)Â Â
Taking a basis of 2 mol of ethylene entering the reactor, drawand label a flowchart of the complete process (show the separationprocess as a single unit) and calculate the molar amounts andcompositions of all process streams.
