Sunflower oil contains 0.070 mol palmitic acid (C16H32O2)/mol, 0.060 mol stearic acid (C18H36O2)/mol, 0.29 mol oleic acid (C18H34O2)/mol, and 0.58 mol linoleic acid (C18H32O2)/mol. To create margarine from sunflower oil, the liquid oleic and linoleic acids are hydrogenated in the presence of a metal catalyst to form solid stearic acid.
C18H34O2+H2 -> C18H36O2
C18H32O2+3H2 -> C18H36O2
At a margarine production facility, a stream of 455.0 mol sunflower oil/hr is fed into a reactor. The fresh hydrogen source available is a mixture containing 0.95 mol H2/mol and 0.050 mol N2/mol. (N2 is inert in this process.) To insure complete hydrogenation, the hydrogen gas mixture is introduced into the reactor in 65.0% excess. All reaction products leave the reactor and proceed to a separator where palmitic and stearic acids are separated from the hydrogen gas mixture. The hydrogen gas mixture is recycled to the fresh feed stream, and 100.0 mol gas/hr of this recycle stream is purged to prevent the buildup of nitrogen gas.
1. What is the molar flow rate of the fresh hydrogen and nitrogen gas mixture to the process?
2. What is the composition of the purge stream?
3. What is the flow rate of gas leaving the separator?
4. What is the flow rate of gas in the recycle line?