Reactors Designs Types of Reactors Tubular reactor or plug flow reactor

Mixed Flow Reactor

Space-time and Space-velocity Proper performance measures of flow reactors: Space time:

1 s

=(time required to process one reactor volume of feed measured at specified conditions) =[time] Space Velocity:

s =

=(number of reactor volumes of feed at specified conditions which can be treated in unit time) = [time-1]

A space velocity of 5hr-1 five reactor volumes of feed at specified conditions are being fed into the reactor per hr.

A space-time of 2min every two minutes one reactor volume of feed at specified condition is being treated by the reactor.

 mole A entering (vol of reactor) vol of feed 1 CAOV = = = s FAO mole A entering time (reactor volume) V = = vo (volume feed rate)
Steady-State Mixed Flow Reactor or Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) Material balance for reactant A: Input=output + disappearance by rxn + accumulation
C AO X AO = 0 vO FAO

CA, X A V , ( rA ) C Af X Af = X A vf ( rA ) f = ( rA ) FA

Input A (moles/time) = FAO (1 X AO ) = FAO Output (moles/time)= FA = FAO (1 X A ) Conversion X A =

C AO C A CA 1 = C AO C AO

CA = 1 X A C AO
eg:
FAO = 10mol / hr hence, FA = 10(1 0.2) = 8mols / hr X A = 0.2

Disappearance of A = By rxn (moles/hr) Hence,

(rA )V = (moles A reacting ) (vol of reactor )

(time )(vol of fluid )

FAO (1 X AO ) = FAO (1 X A ) + (rA )V FAO ( X A X AO ) = rAV

V X X AO XA = = A = rA rA F AO C AO
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where X AO = 0.0

1 C AOV C AO X A = = rA s FAO

where X A and rA are evaluated at exit stream condition which are the same as the conditions within the reactor.
Area = 1 rA V = FAO C AO

conditions within reactor and exit

XA XA

Special case For constant density systems

X A = 1
Then

CA C AO

V XA C CA = = AO rA C AO ( rA ) F AO
or

V C X C CA = AO A = AO rA rA v

constant density system only

Area = =

VC AO FAO

1 rA

CA CA C AO

eg: For a first order system: A B

rA = kC A

C AO C A C AO C A = kC A rA k = C AO C A CA

General case: non constant density Assume that the volume of reacting system varies linearly with conversion:

V = Vo (1 + A X A )
where

A =

V X A =1 V X A =0 V X A =0

eg: Starting with pure reactant A: A

A =

4R
4 1 =3 1

if 50% inerts present at the start

A = 2.5 1 = 1.5 1

and

N A = N AO (1 X A )
CA = 1 X A N A N AO (1 X A ) = = C AO 1+ A X A V VO (1 + A X A )

Given for non constant density:

=
and

C AO X A rA

rA = kC A rA = kC AO
hence

1 X A 1+ AX A

XA 1 X A k 1+ AX A X A (1 + A X A ) 1 X A

k =

Example 1: Mixed reactor performance The elementary liquid-phase reaction

A+ B R + S
k2

k1

is to take place in a 120-liter steady-state mixed reactor. Two feed streams, one containing 2.8 mol A/liter and the other containing 1.6 mol B/liter, are to be introduced in equal volumes into the reactor, and 75% conversion of limiting component is desired. What should be the flow rate of each stream? Assume a constant density throughout. Solution: The concentration of components in the mixed feed stream is

C AO = 1.4mol / liter

C BO = 0.8mol / liter

C RO = C SO = 0
2.8mol A/liter

1.6mol B/liter

75% conversion of B

For 75% conversion of B and A reactor and in the exit stream is

= 0 the composition within the

C A = 1.4 0.6 = 0.8mol / liter

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C B = 0 . 8 0 . 6 = 0 . 2 mol / liter

C R = C S = 0.6 mol / liter

Now the rate of reaction at the conditions within the reactor is

rA = rB = k1CACB k2CRCS liter mol mol liter mol = 7 0.8 0.2 3 0.6 mol min liter liter mol min liter mol mol = (1.12 1.08) = 0.04 liter min liter min
For no change in density, hence A = 0 , Eq. 13 gives
2

V C AO C A C BO C B = = rA rB

hence the volumetric flow rate into and out of the reactor is

= =

V (rA ) V (rB ) = C AO C A CBO CB

120 0.04 liter =8 0.6 min

or 4 liter/min of each of the two feed streams.

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