This question paper consists of 4 printed pages, each of which is identified by the Code Number PEME108001

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering January 2011 Examinations

PEME108001 PROCESS AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Time allowed: 3 hours Answer five questions, one question from each section and one other question PLEASE SHOW ALL WORKINGS IN ANSWERS TO NUMERICAL QUESTIONS. SECTION A Resources 1 With the aid of diagrams and/or flow-sheets, discuss TWO of the following: (a) (b) (c) 2 particle classification using hydrocyclones mineral separation by froth flotation techniques purification of leach liquors by ion-exchange.

[10 marks each]

Review the commercial production and industrial utilisation of TWO of the following commodities: (a) aluminium (b) zinc (c) salt [10 marks each]

SECTION B Materials Processing 3 (a) For each of FOUR of the articles listed on the following page, select a suitable material from which to produce it and justify your selection in terms of the performance required and the properties of the material. You should be specific in your choice (e.g. aluminium alloy rather than metal, polyethylene rather than polymer, etc.) and may not choose the same material for more than one article. [1 mark each part]

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The pressure vessel of a road tanker to transport liquified petroleum gas; (ii) The road wheel of an automobile; (iii) A cup for a cappuccino; (iv) The case for a laptop computer; (v) A container for a carbonated beverage; (vi) The drive shaft for a wind turbine; (vii) A radiator for a domestic central heating system; (viii) A mooring line for a container ship. (b) Draw a flowsheet to represent ONE possible route for the production of each article from your chosen material in its primary form. Take care to include all necessary stages and justify your choice of processing route. You may not choose the same principal processing route for more than one article. [3 marks each part] On your flowsheet, indicate the major sources of waste. Comment on the potential for recycling this waste and any problems inherent in this. [1 mark each part] Discuss the general features, the capabilities and the limitations of ONE of the following classes of processes for the production of engineering components: illustrate your answer with reference to one specific technique taken from that class. [12 marks] (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (b) (c) Casting (and moulding); Forming; Powder processing; Fabrication.

(i)

(c)

(a)

What types of materials are suitable for processing by your chosen class, in what form and why is there this restriction? [4 marks] What are the strengths and weaknesses of the class relative to the other classes (in terms, for example, of the materials which may be processed, the form of products which may be produced and the properties of the final component)? [4 marks] SECTION C Chemical Processes

Optimisation of the process chemistry and the associated technology are key factors for developing and manufacturing fine chemical products. (a) Defining all terms and with the aid of any key equations outline the main process-related factors that will influence the rate of a chemical reaction. [3 marks] Continued over

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(b)

Write down the balanced chemical equation representing the Haber-Bosch process for the production of ammonia from elemental hydrogen and nitrogen and explain, how the physical chemistry associated with this reactions chemical equilibrium and reaction kinetics can be optimised in practice to produce a viable economic process. [3 marks] Describe the basic principles underpinning the SN1 and SN2 reaction mechanisms, highlighting their relation to reaction kinetics. [8 marks] In the summer of 1976, a major accident took place at the Hoffman la Roche plant at Givandan near the Italian town of Seveso. Explain what happened, why it happened and the lessons to be learned from this accident. [6 marks]

(c) (d)

Process engineering enables the transfer of process chemistry into a practical manufacturing operation. (a) With the aid of an appropriate diagram explain what is meant by a process flow diagram, defining the following terms: a unit operation; a process; a process plant. [4 marks] Chemical processes can be operated batch wise or continuously. Describe the essential differences between these two types of processes with respect to the following headings: basic chemical and materials properties; process equipment; types of chemical reactions; techniques for isolation and separation; process economics. [5 marks] Describe the challenges that a chemical engineer faces in scaling up a chemical reaction from the laboratory bench to enable it to be operated at full manufacturing scale on a typical process plant. [3 marks] Describe the patented commercial process for the manufacture of aspirin including recycling of any reaction side products. In this, highlight the efficiency of the process and provide the chemical equations for any of the reactions involved. [8 marks] SECTION D Energy and Fuels

(b)

(c)

(d)

(a) (b)

List the undesirable consequences of incomplete combustion of a gaseous fuel. [4 marks] Write balanced chemical equations, using whole-number molecular ratios, for the complete and incomplete combustion of butane (C4H10) in air. What is the associated stoichiometric ratio? [6 marks]

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(c)

At the stoichiometric ratio, the adiabatic flame temperature of methane burning in pure oxygen is 3000 K. Sketch graphs of adiabatic flame temperature as a function of (oxidant/fuel) stoichiometry, for methane (CH4) burning in oxygen-nitrogen mixes of 20% oxygen, 60% oxygen, and 100% oxygen. Discuss the origin of the features and trends in your graphs. [10 marks]

Answer TWO of the following. Illustrate your answers with an appropriate diagram or graph. (a) (b) Discuss trends in UK final-energy consumption by major fuel types over the last 40 years. [10 marks] Explain the principles of generating electricity from solar energy using gridconnected photovoltaic panels. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of using solar energy? [10 marks] Explain the principles of generating electricity from wind energy using a horizontal-axis upwind-rotor wind turbine. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of using wind energy? [10 marks] END

(c)