Please refer to the attached table. From chemical reaction thermodynamics, the fact that the equilibrium conversion is the highest attainable, higher than the rate of conversion, causes concern because a low equilibrium conversion could render a project financially infeasible. The consistently low Gibbs Reactor conversions are suspect as are the higher conversions of the Equilibrium Reactor. Which data are to be used for financial decisions?
The data for Ethanol Synthesis are taken from the literature as experimentally determined [1,2]. This is superior, in my judgment, to theoretical determinations. I favor the results from the Equilibrium Reactor using Method 1 for Ethanol Synthesis.
If the results from the Equilibrium Reactor for Ethanol Synthesis are chosen, then should the results from the Equilibrium Reactor for Methanol Synthesis be chosen also as being from the most accurate Unit? The results of both Methods 1 and 3 for the Equilibrium Reactor for Ethanol Synthesis are close. This tends to sway my choice again toward the results for the Equilibrium Reactor for both Ethanol and Methanol Syntheses.
Any further analyses and/or comments are solicited.
.............................................................................................T.......Keq
1.....H. M. Stanley, et al., J. Soc. Chem. Ind., Vol. 53, p. 205 (1934)..........145 C...6.8E-02
2.....R. H. Bliss and B. F. Dodge, Ind. Eng. Chem., Vol. 29, p. 19 (1937).......320 C...1.9E-03
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- Ethylene, Gibbs vs Equilibrium.PDF
- Table of Results
- (93.21 KiB) Downloaded 900 times
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End of File
NB. Limited to three (3) attachments so omitted 'Ethanol, Method 3' file. See table for results.