Answer Happy

The dehydration of propanol (A) A → B+C was studied over a commercial catalyst in a packed reactor, ensuring that conversion remained very low (a few percent), isothermal conditions and absence of internal and external mass transfer resistances. The data in Table 3.1 (obtained at 400 °C), show how the reaction rate varied with the inlet partial pressure of propanol PA (note the feed contained only propanol). PAO [atm] [kmol kgcath'] 0 0 4.5 0.275 27 0.5 54 0.77 112 0.77 229 0.5 Table 3.1. Reaction data obtained for dehydration of propanol a) Suggest a mechanism and rate-limiting step that are consistent with the experimental data. [7] b) Evaluate the rate law parameters for this system. [7] c) At the point where the reaction rate is at a maximum, what is the fraction of vacant sites? What is the fraction of sites occupied by A? [3] d) What generalisations can you make by studying this problem? [3]