Mass Balance

and
Reactors

Objectives
Introduce the concept of mass balance
Identify the different reactor types

Conservation of Mass

Mass cannot be created nor destroyed.

Atoms are conserved but molecules may change to other forms.

Mass Balance- General Equation

Accumulation
Input,
Co
System boundary
Input
rate

Ouput
rate

Output, C

Decay

Decay +
rate

Steady state

Accumulation = 0

Conservative

Decay rate = 0

Accumulation
rate

Input =
rate

Ouput
rate

Reactions

Transform

Chemical

Transfer

Biological
Volatilization

Hydrolysis

Aerobic degradation

Radioactive decay

Anaerobic degradation Sorption

Photodegradation
Combustion
Oxidation-reduction

Ion exchange
Bio uptake
Sedimentation
Filtration

Types of Reactors
Batch Reactors
V

Completely Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTR)

Q,
Co

Q,
C
V

Plug-Flow Reactors

Q
Q
Q

Q
to
t1
t2

Q
Q

 Dispersed Plug-Flow Reactors

Q
to

Q
t1

Q
t2

Packed bed Reactors

Fluidized Packed bed Reactors

Q,
Co

Q, C

Q,
C

Q,
Co

Batch Reactor

V,k,Co

V,k,C

time=0

time=t

dC
V
VkC
dt

C
kt
e
Co

Example
An industrial facility generates 1.2 m3 of waste with a toxic chemical at
a level of 25 ppm. Regulations allow the disposal of the waste into the
marine environment only if the chemical at a level that does not
exceed 0.5 ppm. The industry decided to employ a chemical reaction
(k = 0.45 day-1) using a batch reactor with a detention time of 7 days.
Is the reaction time sufficient to meet the regulatory limits?

Solution
Using the equation for batch reactors with C = 0.5, Co =25 and k
=0.45, the value of t would be 8.7 days. Therefore, 7 days will not
be sufficient to reduce the concentration of the chemical to 0.5 ppm.

Completely-Mixed Tank Reactor (CSTR)

CSTR
Qin, Cin

Qout, Cout

k
Under steady-state conditions
Input
Ouput
=
+
rate
rate

Decay
rate

Assume the decay rate is first-order = kCV

The concentration inside the reactor is the same as the effluent concentration
because of complete mixing
QinCin

= QoutCout

Cout

Cin Qin
Qout kV

kCoutV

Example
Design a CSTR to treat the industrial wastewater described
in the sketch.
Q= 0.05 m3/hr
Co= 25ppm

CSTR
k= 0.45 d-1
V=?

Q= 0.05 m3/hr
C= 0.5 ppm

Solution
Applying the steady-state equation for CSTR

CoQ CQ kCV
CoQ CQ (0.05 25) (0.05 0.5)
V

130.7 m3
0.45
kC
(
0.5)
24

Plug-Flow Reactor
Q, Co

Q, C

dVd[

dV

At steady-state

C C (C / x )dx
]
C
2
Q C Q (C
dx ) dVkC
dt
x

C
C
Q
dx dVkC
t
x
dV

Q dC
k C

Q C dC
A dx
k Co C
o
L

C
e k ( V / Q)
Co

Example
Design a plug flow reactor to treat the industrial wastewater
described in the sketch.
Q= 0.05 m3/hr
Co= 25ppm

Plug flow
k= 0.45 d-1
V=?

Q= 0.05 m3/hr
C= 0.5 ppm

Solution
Applying the steady-state equation for plug reactors

0.5
e
25

0.45
(V / 0.05 )
24

The required volume of the reactor is 10.43 m3. This volume is

about 12 times smaller than that needed for the case of a CSTR.

Plug-Flow with dispersion

Q, Co

At steady-state with a continuous mass inflow, Wehner and

Wilhelm found:

C
4ae ( Pe / 2 )

2 ( aPe / 2 )
2 ( aPe / 2 )
Co (1 a ) e
(1 a ) e

0.5

4k t R
a 1

Pe

Pe= Peclet number=vxL/D

D=dispersion coefficient
vx=axial velocity= Q/A
L=length of the reactor
tR= retention time= V/Q

Q, C

Example
Determine the effluent concentration for the PFD reactor shown below
if the reactor has a length of 5 m, width 1.4 m and depth 1.49 m.
Assume the dispersion coefficient is 1 m2/hr.
Q= 0.05 m3/hr
Co= 25ppm

Solution

Plug flow
k= 0.45 d-1
V=10.43 m3

vx

Q
0.05

0.024m / hr
Ax 1.4 1.49

tR

V 10.43

208.6 hr
Q 0.05

a (1

Q= 0.05 m3/hr
C= ?

v x L 0.024 5
Pe

0.12
D
1

4k t R 0.5
4 0.019 208.6 0.5
) (1
) 11.5
Pe
0.12

C
4ae ( Pe / 2)

0.19. Thus, C 4.76 ppm

2 ( aPe / 2 )
2 ( aPe / 2 )
Co (1 a ) e
(1 a ) e

Experimental determination of dispersion coefficient

For a pulse injection of ideal tracer, moment analysis can be used to
determine the dispersion coefficient following the steps below
1. The centroid (actual retention time)
2. The variance

t C

C
2
i

tC

t
C
i

t 2

3. The normalized variance

2 2
t

4. The normalized variance is related to the dispersion number by

D
D 2
2
2(
) (1 e v x L / D )
vx L
vx L
2

Example
Dispersed plug flow through a compartmented aeration tank was
analyzed by injecting a pulse of lithium chloride tracer in the influent.
From the time and output concentration data listed, plot C (kg/m 3)
versus time (min)-response curve. Calculate the location of the
centroid of the distribution, variance of the curve , normalized
variance, and the reactor dispersion number D/vxL.
t

105

89

210

33.5

315

15

120

95

225

25.8

330

4.6

30

135

88

240

20

345

3.5

45

3.5

150

78.2

255

15.4

360

2.6

60

16.5

165

65

270

12.1

375

1.7

75

46.5

180

55.2

285

9.5

390

0.7

90

72

195

43

300

7.5

405

Solution
The response curve is shown in the figure below
100
80

60
40
20
0
0

100

200

300

time, min

400

500

The centroid (actual retention time)

The variance

t C

C
2
i

t
2

120770
152 min
795
21277913
(152) 2 3682.7
795

3682.7

0.16
2
(152)
2

t 2

The normalized variance

tC

t
C

2 2
t

Using Excel a table

similar to the one
shown is generated

The normalized variance is related to the dispersion number by

2 2

D
D 2
2(
) (1 e v x L / D )
vx L
vx L

The dispersion number can be found by trial and error or using the
figure shown in the slide.

For 2 0.16 , the dispersion number is 0.0875.

Knowing the length and axial velocity one can
determine the dispersion coefficient of the reactor.

D/vxL

0.1

0.180

0.2

0.321

0.09

0.164

0.085

0.156

0.088

0.161

0.087

0.159

0.0875

0.160