Chapter 12

1. How much ethanol can be produced from a ton of glucose, C6H12O6?

kg kg kg
Cmm := 12.01 Hmm := 1.008 Omm := 16.00 OHmm := Omm + Hmm
kg mol kg mol kg mol

The reaction of ethanol from glucose is

C6 H 12O6 2 C2 H 5OH + 2 CO2

-1
GLUmm := 6 Cmm + 12 Hmm + 6 Omm GLUmm = 180.156 mol

-1
ETHmm := 2 Cmm + 5 Hmm + 1 OHmm ETHmm = 46.068 mol

-1
CO2mm := Cmm + 2 Omm CO2mm = 44.01 mol

2ETHmm 3
ETH := 1 ton ETH = 0.511 ton ETH = 1.023 10 lb
GLUmm

2CO2mm
CO2 := 1 ton CO2 = 0.489 ton CO2 = 977.153 lb
GLUmm

ETH + CO2 = 1 ton

2. How much methanol can be made from a ton of natural gas (methane) according
to the following sequence of reactions?

CH 4 + H 2O CO + 3H 2
H 2 + CO2 H 2O + CO
CO + 2 H 2O CH 3OH + O2

The last equation given in the problem statement is incomplete; an O 2 is needed in the
right-hand-side to balance the equation. The O 2 has been inserted in the solution problem
statement. The problem is worked under the assertions that water and carbone dioxide are
available.
kg kg kg
Cmm := 12.01 Hmm := 1.008 Omm := 16.00 OHmm := Omm + Hmm
kg mol kg mol kg mol

-1
WATERmm := 2 Hmm + Omm WATERmm = 18.016 mol
-1
CO2mm := Cmm + 2 Omm CO2mm = 44.01 mol
-1
COmm := Cmm + Omm COmm = 28.01 mol
-1
H2mm := 2. Hmm H2mm = 2.016 mol
-1
METHANEmm := Cmm + 4 Hmm METHANEmm = 16.042 mol
-1
METHANOLmm := 1 Cmm + 3 Hmm + OHmm METHANOLmm = 32.042 mol
-1
O2mm := 2 Omm O2mm = 32 mol

In reaction 1, methane and water are combined to produce CO and hydrogen.

METHANER1 := 1 ton
3 H2mm
H2 := 1 ton H2 = 0.377 ton
METHANEmm

COmm
COR1 := 1 ton COR1 = 1.746 ton
METHANEmm

WATERmm
WATERR1 := 1 ton WATERR1 = 1.123 ton
METHANEmm

METHANER1 + WATERR1 = 2.123 ton COR1 + H2 = 2.123 ton

In reaction 2, hydrogen from reaction 1 and carbon dioxide are combined to form water and CO.

COmm
COR2 := 0.377 ton COR2 = 5.238 ton
H2mm
 WATERmm
WATERR2 := 0.377 ton WATERR2 = 3.369 ton
H2mm

CO2mm
CO2R2 := 0.377 ton CO2R2 = 8.23 ton
H2mm
H2 + CO2R2 = 8.607 ton WATERR2 + COR2 = 8.607 ton

In reaction 3, CO from reactions 1 and 2 and water are combined to form methanol.
COR3 := COR1 + COR2 COR3 = 6.984 ton

WATERmm
WATERR3 := 2 6.984 ton WATERR3 = 8.984 ton
COmm

METHANOLmm
METHANOL := 6.984 tonMETHANOL = 7.989 ton
COmm
O2mm
O2R3 := 6.984 ton
COmm O2R3 = 7.979 ton

COR3 + WATERR3 = 15.968 ton METHANOL + O2R3 = 15.968 ton

3. How much biodiesel can be made from a ton of soybean oil? The average
molecular weight of soybean oil methyl esters is 292.2 kg/kg-mol.

kg kg kg
Cmm := 12.01 Hmm := 1.008 Omm := 16.00 OHmm := Omm + Hmm
kg mol kg mol kg mol

Transesterfication reaction (plant oil to biodiesel via methanol)

The generic transesterfication reaction is

triglyceride + methanol ------> methyl ester + glycerol

(plant oil)
A specific example for a slightly simplified composition for olive oil, from Schobert, is

(C17 H 33CO2 )3 C3 H 5 + 3CH 3OH 3C17 H 33CO2CH 3 + C3 H 5 (OH )3

where C17 H 33CO 2 is the fatty-acid component of olive oil.

For soybean oil, the molecular mass of the methyl ester is given as 292.2 kg/kg/mol. The fatty
acid molecular mass can then be calculated.

FAmw := 3 292.2 Cmm 3 Hmm

kg -1
FAmw = 831.498 mol
kg mol
C3H5mw := 3 Cmm + 5 Hmm kg
C3H5mw = 41.07
kg mol

kg
POmw := FAmw + C3H5mw POmw = 872.568
kg mol

METmw := 3 ( Cmm + 3 Hmm + OHmm)

kg
METmw = 96.126
kg mol

BDmw := FAmw + 3 ( Cmm + 3 Hmm)

kg
BDmw = 876.6
kg mol

kg
GLYmw := 3 Cmm + 5 Hmm + 3 OHmm GLYmw = 92.094
kg mol
BDmw
BD := 1 ton
POmw BD = 1.005 ton
METmw
MET := 1 ton MET = 0.11 ton
POmw

GLYmw
GLY := 1 ton GLY = 0.106 ton
POmw
PO := 1 ton

PO + MET = 1.11 ton BD + GLY = 1.11 ton

 4. For 1 kg of CO, calculate the hydrogen required and the products produced for
ethylene (C2H4), isopropanol (C3H8O), and pentane (C5H12) for Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis.
Olefins-alkene hydrocarbons
ethylene is C2 H4 in general Cn H2n CO := 1 kg
nCO + 2nH2 ----> CnH2n + nH2O
n := 2
-1
ETHYLENEmm := 2 Cmm + 4 Hmm ETHYLENEmm = 28.052 mol

( n )WATERmm
WATER := 1 kg WATER = 0.643 kg
n COmm
ETHYLENEmm
ETHYLENE := 1 kg ETHYLENE = 0.501 kg
n COmm
( 2 n + 0 ) H2mm
H2 := 1 kg H2 = 0.144 kg
n COmm

CO + H2 = 1.144 kg ETHYLENE + WATER = 1.144 kg

Alcohol hydrocarbons
isopropanol is C 3 H8 O in general Cn H2n+1 OH

nCO + 2nH2 ----> CnH2n+1OH + (n - 1)H 2O

n := 3
-1
ISOPROPANOLmm := n Cmm + ( 2 n + 1 ) Hmm + OHmm ISOPROPANOLmm = 60.094 mol

( n 1 )WATERmm
WATER := 1 kg WATER = 0.429 kg
n COmm
ISOPROPANOLmm
ISOPROPANOL := 1 kg ISOPROPANOL = 0.715 kg
n COmm
2 n H2mm
H2 := 1 kg H2 = 0.144 kg
n COmm
CO + H2 = 1.144 kg ISOPROPANOL + WATER = 1.144 kg

Paraffins-alkane hydrocarbons
pentane is C5 H12 in general Cn H2n+2
nCO + (2n + 1)H2 ----> CnH2n+2 + nH2O
n := 5
-1
PENTANEmm := 5 Cmm + 12 Hmm PENTANEmm = 72.146 mol

( n )WATERmm
WATER := 1 kg WATER = 0.643 kg
n COmm
 PENTANEmm
PENTANE := 1 kg PENTANE = 0.515 kg
n COmm
( 2 n + 1 ) H2mm H2 = 0.144 kg
H2 := 1 kg
n COmm

CO + H2 = 1.158 kg PENTANE + WATER = 1.158 kg