Question: Ethylene oxide is produced by the oxidation of ethylene over a catalyst. Safety consideration dictates that the gaseous mixture entering the reactor should contain 10 mol air per mol ethylene. The conversion per pass is 22%. The ethylene oxide formed is completely condensed out and the remaining gases recycled. Make up oxygen is added to maintain the requisite oxygen levels. For a plant producing 440 kg/h of ethylene oxide,

1) Calculate the quantity of pure make up oxygen to be supplied, (in kg/h), in steady state operation.

The relevant reaction is represented by

2C₂H₄ + O₂ → 2C₂H₄O