Methane reacts with chlorine (atomic weight 35.5) to produce methyl chloride (CH3Cl) and hydrogen chloride (HCl). Once formed, the methyl chloride may undergo further chlorination to form methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in different reaction steps. A methyl chloride production process consists of a reactor and a separator system. A gas stream containing 80 mole % methane and the balance chlorine is fed to the reactor. In the reactor a single-pass chlorine conversion of essentially 100% is attained, the mole ratio of methyl chloride to methylene chloride in the reactor product is 5:1, and negligible amounts of chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are formed. The product stream flows to a separator, from which two streams emerge: a liquid, which contains essentially all of the methyl chloride and methylene chloride in the reactor effluent, and the gas containing the methane and hydrogen chloride. (a) Write the chemical equations of the four reactions of methane chlorination and indicate the two main reactions ignoring the ones producing negligible amounts. (b) Explain the reason for the methane presence in the reactor outlet stream. (c) Using a basis of 100 kmol.h-1 combined feed to the reactor, calculate the molar flow rate and molar composition of the reactor outlet.
Methane reacts with chlorine (atomic weight 35.5) to produce methyl chloride (CH3Cl)
and hydrogen chloride (HCl). Once formed, the methyl chloride may undergo further
chlorination to form methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon
tetrachloride (CCl4) in different reaction steps.
A methyl chloride production process consists of a reactor and a separator system. A
gas stream containing 80 mole % methane and the balance chlorine is fed to the reactor.
In the reactor a single-pass chlorine conversion of essentially 100% is attained, the mole
ratio of methyl chloride to methylene chloride in the reactor product is 5:1, and negligible
amounts of chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are formed. The product stream flows to
a separator, from which two streams emerge: a liquid, which contains essentially all of
the methyl chloride and methylene chloride in the reactor effluent, and the gas containing
the methane and hydrogen chloride.
(a) Write the chemical equations of the four reactions of methane chlorination and
indicate the two main reactions ignoring the ones producing negligible amounts.
(b) Explain the reason for the methane presence in the reactor outlet stream.
(c) Using a basis of 100 kmol.h-1 combined feed to the reactor, calculate the molar
flow rate and molar composition of the reactor outlet.
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