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4. ISOTHERMAL REACTOR DESIGN

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R4.2 Recycle Reactors
Recycle reactors are used when the reaction is autocatalytic, or when it is necessary to maintain nearly isothermal operation of the reactor or to promote a certain selectivity (see Section 5.6.6). They are also used extensively in biochemical operations. To design recycle reactors, one simply follows the procedure developed in this chapter and then adds a little additional bookkeeping. A schematic diagram of the recycle reactor is shown in Text Figure 4-15.

The recycled stream is drawn off at point Q and merged with the fresh feed at Point P. We shall define the recycle parameter R as the moles recycled per mole of product removed at point Q.

Two Two conversions are usually associated with conversions: recycle reactors: the overall conversion, X0, Xsand X0 and the conversion per pass, Xs :

(CD4-88) (CD4-89)

The only new twist in calculating reactor

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volumes or conversions for a recycle reactor is a mole balance at the stream intersections (points P and Q) to properly express the species concentrations as a function of conversion. Consider the gas-phase reaction

occuring in our reactor. Let X be the conversion of A in the reactor per mole of A fed to the reactor. The design equation is

Then: Design equation:

Rate law:

with Stoichiometry: 1. From the definition from the overall conversion, we can define F A3 and F B3 leaving the system, (CD4-90) (CD4-91)

From the definition for conversion per pass, we can define F A2 and F B3 leaving the reactor, (CD4-92) (CD4-93)

2. From the definition for the recycle

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parameter, R, we can define F A R and F B R and the total molar flow rate in the recycle stream, F tR (CD4-94)

(CD4-95)

(CD4-96) where

3. From the balance on the stream intersections, we have

(CD4-97)

(CD498) (CD499) (CD4100) (CD4101) (CD4102) (CD4103) (CD4104) (CD4105)

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Relating the molar flow rates in the various streams

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(CD4106) The volumetric flow rate in the reactor, , is related to the volumetric flow rate entering the reactor by

(CD4107)

where X is the number of moles of A reacted per mole of A entering the reactor, and is defined by

(CD4108)

The molar flow rate of A within the reactor is

(CD4109)

(CD4-110)

(CD4111)

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These equations for concentration are substituted into the rate law, which is in turn substituted into the design equation and integrated. For a first-order reaction in A and in B,

(CD4114)

Recycle reactor volume

(CD4115)

where

The relationship between the overall conversion and the conversion per pass can be found by equating F A2 from Equations (CD4-107) and (CD4-106):

Then using Equation (CD4-97) and simplifying, we have

(CD4116)

Fogler & G urmen 2 0 0 8 U nivers ity of M ic higan

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