CL 317 / Mass Transfer Operations

END SEMESTER EXAMINATION/2011

Friday, April 26, 2011; 14:30 to 17:30 hours; MAX MARKS:50

1. THIS IS AN OPEN BOOK & NOTES EXAMINATION. This paper is printed on

both sides.
2. NO MARKS FOR DERIVING FORMULAE ALREADY AVAILABLE IN NOTES/BOOKS.
3. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN GIVEN ORDER, STARTING WITH THE FIRST
QUESTION AND ENDING WITH THE LAST QUESTION. Penalty for violation
of this instruction is 2 marks.
4. START EACH QUESTION ON A FRESH PAGE AND RESERVE AT LEAST ONE
FULL PAGE FOR EVERY QUESTION. Penalty for violation of this instruction
is 2 marks.
5. REQUIRED ANSWERS MUST BE ENTERED in the RESULTS SUMMARY
SHEET and the SHEET SHOULD BE STAPLED ON TOP OF YOUR MAIN ANSWER BOOK. NO ANSWERS IN THIS SHEET WILL RESULT IN ZERO
CREDIT FOR A QUESTION. Values inside the answer book must match
the ones on the summary sheet, else it will be taken to be a case of copying.
6. Question 1 carries 10 marks; All other questions carry 8 marks, each.
7. SHOW INTERMEDIATE STEPS AND CALCULATIONS.
Q1.
(a) What is the key condition which allows us to assume that the simplifications required by
the Mcabe-Thiele method are applicable?
(b) What equation is to be solved for finding the bubble point of a mixture?
(c) Why is the adiabatic saturation temperature and the wet bulb temperature same for
air-water systems?
(d) Why does the Hatta number not contain the interfacial area?
(e) State 2 design modifications that can be made to increase the mass transfer efficiency of
a tray. Also state how the relevant costs will get altered.
2 marks each
Q2. A pure gas A is bubbled into a stirred tank containing reactant B dissolved in water. The liquid is held in batch mode while the gas is bubbbled continuously. The system

conforms to the very fast reaction regime (Regime 3). Derive the expression for the concentration of reagent B as a function of batch time. Please ensure that you define all the variables/symbols that you use. Find the time needed for the concentration of B to become half
b
/(z.CA ) = 100,
its initial value given that: kL = 1 103 m/s, a/VL = 100 m2 /m3 , CB,initial
q
b
DA k2 CB,initial
/kL = 5.
Q3. 50000 kg/h of water at 40o C is to be cooled to 25o C in a cooling tower. The air used
is at 30o C, its water vapor concentration is 0.01 kg moisture/kg dry air and the air rate is
given to be 40,000 kg/h. It can be assumed that the liquid side heat transfer coefficient is
very large. The cross sectional area of the tower is 3 m2 . Find the height of the cooling
tower if the mass transfer coefficient, kY a=0.86 kg/m3 s and the enthalpy of saturated air
versus temperature is approximated by, Hi0 = 7000ti 90, 000 (ti is in o C, Hi0 is in J/kg dry
air).
Q4. A 3-stage adsorption train is used in cross current configuration to lower the feed
solute concentration, Y0 to the specified exit value, Y3 . The two intermediate concentrations,
namely, Y1 and Y2 are to be chosen such that the total adsorbent to be used is minimized.
For the case when the adsorption isotherm is linear and can be described by Y = mX,
find the expressions for the concentrations, Y1 and Y2 , in terms of all the known/specified
variables. If the initial concentration Y0 is to be reduced to half its initial value, i.e Y3 /Y0 =
0.5, find the values of the ratios, Y1 /Y0 and Y2 /Y0 . Also, report what fraction of adsorbent
is used in each stage.
Q5. Equilibrium data for the water (A), toluene (B), solute (C) system are given in the
supplied graph. Solvent B is used to extract the solute C from an aqueous solution (A) in
a counter-current configuration. Find the number of stages required to reduce the solute
concentration from its feed value of 30% to 5%. The feed consists only of water and the
solute, whereas the solvent used is pure. The solvent to feed ratio is given to be 0.36. What
are the amounts of the exiting raffinate and extract phases (as a fraction of the feed mass),
and their respective solute concentrations?
Q6. A binary mixture of organic solvents one aliphatic, the other aromatic, the former
being more volatile is to be separated in a continuous tray tower. The relative volatility,
= 3 (equilibrium curve is plotted on the supplied graph paper). The feed is supplied
at a quality, q = 0.5 and concentration, zF = 0.6. The distillate purity is specified to be
xD = 0.99 and that of the bottoms stream xW = 0.05. What is the number of ideal trays
required, for each section, if the operating reflux ratio is 1.25 times the minimum value and
the feed tray will be located optimally. Counting from the bottom, on which tray is the feed
located? What percentage of the more volatile compound is recovered in the distillate?
END

RESULTS SUMMARY SHEET: Enter Roll number here:

Q2. In the space below, enter the ONLY final expression for concentration versus time:

Q2.
Q3.

Quantity
Time for B concentration to be halved

Symbol Value (with units)

tf inal

Quantity
Symbol
Inlet air enthalpy
H10
Outlet air enthalpy
H20
Operating line equation
H 0 vs tL
Height of transfer unit
HtG
Number of enthalpy transfer units NtG
Height of tower
Z

Value (with units)

Q4. In the space below, enter the final expressions for the concentrations,Y1 and Y2 , in terms
of all the known/specified variables:

Q4.

Q5.

Q6.

Quantity
Ratio of stage 1 exit to feed concentrations
Ratio of stage 2 exit to feed concentrations
Fraction of adsorbent used in stage 1
Fraction of adsorbent used in stage 2
Fraction of adsorbent used in stage 3
Quantity
Solute concentration in overall plant mixture
Solvent concentration in overall plant
Solute concentration in exiting extract
Solvent concentration in exiting extract
Extract to feed mass ratio
Raffinate to feed mass ratio
Number of stages
Quantity
Percent volatile recovery
Minimum reflux ratio
Operating reflux ratio
Number of trays (enrichment)
Number of trays (stripping)
Number of the feed tray, from bottom

Symbol Value (with units)

Y1 /Y0
Y2 /Y0
SS1 /ST
SS2 /ST
SS3 /ST
Symbol Value (with units)
xM
wt%B
yE1
wt% B
E1 /F
RNp /F
Nstages

Symbol Value (with units)

VR
Rm
R
Nte
Nts
Nf eed