Chapter 13 | 683
EXAMPLE 13–1 Mass and Mole Fractions of a Gas Mixture
Consider a gas mixture that consists of 3 kg of O 2 , 5 kg of N 2 , and 12 kg of
CH 4 , as shown in Fig. 13–4. Determine (a) the mass fraction of each compo-
nent, (b) the mole fraction of each component, and (c) the average molar
mass and gas constant of the mixture.
Solution The masses of components of a gas mixture are given. The mass
fractions, the mole fractions, the molar mass, and the gas constant of the
mixture are to be determined.
Analysis (a) The total mass of the mixture is
Then the mass fraction of each component becomes
(b) To find the mole fractions, we need to determine the mole numbers of
each component first:
Thus,
and
(c) The average molar mass and gas constant of the mixture are determined
from their definitions,
Mm
mm
Nm
20 kg
1.023 kmol
19.6 kg/kmol
yCH 4
NCH 4
Nm
0.750 kmol
1.023 kmol
0.733
yN 2
NN 2
Nm
0.179 kmol
1.023 kmol
0.175
yO 2
NO 2
Nm
0.094 kmol
1.023 kmol
0.092
NmNO 2 NN 2 NCH 4 0.0940.1790.7501.023 kmol
NCH 4
mCH 4
MCH 4
12 kg
16 kg>kmol
0.750 kmol
NN 2
mN 2
MN 2
5 kg
28 kg>kmol
0.179 kmol
NO 2
mO 2
MO 2
3 kg
32 kg>kmol
0.094 kmol
mfCH 4
mCH 4
mm
12 kg
20 kg
0.60
mfN 2
mN 2
mm
5 kg
20 kg
0.25
mfO 2
mO 2
mm
3 kg
20 kg
0.15
mmmO 2 mN 2 mCH 4 3 5 12 20 kg
3 kg O 2
5 kg N 2
12 kg CH 4
FIGURE 13–4
Schematic for Example 13–1.
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