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Pressure Drop in Reactors Calc PDF
Pressure Drop in Reactors Calc PDF
Pressure Drop in Reactors Calc PDF
Pressure drop
phase kinetics
calculations
153
We now focus our attention on accounting for the pressure drop in the
rate law. For an ideal gas, the concentration of reacting species i is
gas-phase
reactions pressure
drop may be very
important
(3-46)
18)
We now must determine the ratio
as a function of volume V or the catato account for pressure drop. We then can combine the
lyst
tration, rate law, and design equation. However, whenever accounting for the
effects of pressure drop, the differential form
the mole balance (design
equation) must be used.
for example, the second-order
reaction
When
one
differential forms
of the
design equations
is being carried out in a packed-bed reactor, the differential form of the mole
balance equation in terms of catalyst weight is
-The
gram moles
gram catalyst min
law is
(2-17)
154
Chap. 4
(4-20)
Note from Equation (4-20) that the larger the pressure drop
the smaller P)
from frictional losses, the
the reaction rate!
with the mole balance (2-17) and assuming
Combining Equation
gives
isothermal operation (T =
Dividing by
yields
P)
(4-21)
We now need to relate the pressure drop to the catalyst weight in order to
determine the conversion as a function of catalyst weight.
4.4.2 Flow Through a Packed Bed
Phenomena (NewYork:
4.4
where
P = pressure,
= porosity =
155
volume of void
total bed volume
volume of
total bed volume
g, = 32.174 lb,
4.17 X
factor)
lb,
= 1.0)
cross-sectional
area of pipe,
p = gas density,
=
s) or
h)
-In calculating the pressure drop using the Ergun equation, the only
parameter that varies with pressure on the right-hand side of Equation (4-22)
is the gas density, p. We are now going to calculate the pressure drop through
the bed.
Because the reactor is operated at steady state, the mass flow rate at any
point down the reactor,
is equal to the entering mass flow rate,
equation of continuity),
=m
=
Recalling Equation
Equations
we have
56
Chap. 4
Simplifying yields
(4-24)
I
where
(4-25)
(1
weight of
volume of
catalyst
solids
density of
(4-26)
[Equation
we can change
(4-27)
Further simplification yields
(4-28)
where
(4-29)
157
Equation
will be the one we use when multiple reactions are
occurring or when there is pressure drop in a membrane reactor. However, for
single reactions in packed-bed reactors it is more convenient to express the
Ergun equation in terms of the conversion X . Recalling Equation (3-42) for
+
and
F,,
(3-42)
-=
where, as before,
- _- - _ ( 1 + EX)
of
2 T o P I P,
(4-30)
Recalling Equation
Two coupled
equations to be
solved numerically
(4-21)
we see that we have two coupled first-order differential equations, (4-31) and
that
be solved simultaneously. A variety of software packages and
numerical integration schemes are
for this purpose.
Analytical Solution. If E
0, or if we can neglect ( E X ) with respect i o 1
1
can obtain an analytical solution to Equation (4-30) for isothermal operation (Le., T
isothermal operation with E = 0, Equabecomes
tion
158
Isothermal with
Chap. 4
(4-32)
Rearranging gives us
---- - a
Taking
Integrating with P =
at W = 0 yields
2
Pressure ratio
only for E 0
(4-33)
where again
Equation (4-33) can be used to substitute for the pressure in the rate law, in
which case the mole balance can be written solely as a function of conversion
and catalyst weight. The resulting equation can readily be solved either analytically or numerically.
If we wish to express the pressure in terms of reactor length we can use
Equation (4-26)to substitute for Win Equation (4-33). Then
(4-34)
4.4
159
Evaluating
the pressure drop
parameters
For
0.01414
104.4
7383.3
0.01414
For air at
and
atm,
0.0673
= 0.413
4.17 X
lb
7383.3
h)
0.0208 ft
0.01244
164.1
(266.9 + 12,920.8) ft
h
1
1
atm
x
144
14.7
X
ft3
160
0.0775
60 ft
atm
= 2.65 atm
P=
AP
= 7.35 atm
P=
Chap. 4
(E4-5.5)
(E4-5.6)
to relate conversion and catalyst weight. Recall our mole balance, rate law, and
Mole balance:
(2-17)
Rate law:
(4-19)
0:
P
-
(4-35)
Using Equation (4-33) to substitute for PIP, in terms of the catalyst weight,
we obtain
Only
for
Combining:
- = -( 1 -
Separating variables:
--
[(I
161
(4-36)
1- {I -
second-order
reaction in
with AP
The economics
+
C
A +fB
Ethylene and oxygenare fed in stoichiometricproportions to a packed-bed reacat a prestor operated isothermally at 260C. Ethylene is fed at a rate of 0.30
sure of 10 atm. It is proposed to use 10 banks of 1 -in.-diameter schedule 40
packed with catalyst with 100 tubes per bank. Consequently,the molar flow rate to
The properties of the reacting fluid are be
each tube is to be 3
considered identical to those of air at this temperature and pressure. The density of
the -in.-catalystparticles is 120
and the bed void fraction is 0.45.The rate law is
=
lb
cat. h
with3
k = 0.0141
Chem., 45, 234 (1953).
lb mol
at 260C
atm . cat.. h
162
Chap. 4
Solution
mole balance:
1.
(E4-6.1)
2. Rate law:
=
(E4-6.2)
113 213
1/3
The algorithm
+
(E4-6.4)
(E4-6.5)
We
evaluatethe
combine stepeither
1) Analytically
2) Graphically
3) Numerically,or
4) Using software
(E4-6.7)
For stoichiometric feed,
(E4-6.8)
=
where k
5. Developing the design equation. For a packed-bed reactor, the relationship
1 is
between and W when
is valid
E
=0
(4-33)
PO
or
(E4-6.9)
Combining Equations
and (E4-6.
we have
4.4
163
Integrating gives us
we obtain
Solving for
(E4-6.11)
divide feed rates by 1000):
=3X
Oxygen:
1.5 X
lb
= 0.54
1.5 X
lb
lb
1.08 lb
lb
0.79 mol
I
inerts
= 5.64 X
= 2.03
Summing:
3.65
1)
atm
= 0.0141
k' =
1 - [1
3 atm
lb mol
0.63 = 0.0266 cat
-0.15)
a
1 (1 -
(E4-6.12)
In order to calculate
Evaluating the
drop
parameters
we need the superficial mass velocity, G. The mass flow rates of each entering
species are:
164
mol
X 28 h
mol
0.54
mol
mol X 28
h
lb mol
Chap.
30.24
- 17.28
56.84
This is essentially the same superficial mass velocity, temperature, and pressure as in Example 4-5. Consequently, we can use the value of
calculated
in Example 4-5.
atm
0.0775 (0.01414
0.0166
_cat
lb mol
cat
45.4 lb of catalyst per tube
or 45,400 lb of catalyst total
This catalyst weight corresponds to a pressure drop of approximately 5 atm.
If we had neglected pressure drop, the result would have been
1
k
Neglecting
pressure drop
results in poor
design (here 53%
vs. 60%
0.0266
=
35.3
1
1 - 0.6
of catalyst per tube (neglectingpressure drop)
4.4
Example 4-
Rework Example
for the case where volume change is nor
Ergun equation and the two coupled differential equations
conversion and
are solved
I
Solution
Rather than rederive everything starting
the
etry, and pressure drop equations, we will use th
4-6 Combining
(E4
and
Next. we
.3)
Program examples
POLYMATH,
MatLab can be
loaded from the
CD-ROM (see
the Introduction)
166
Reactor Design
Chap. 4
TABLE
Equations
Initial Values
1
0
15
0266
Scale:
a,
w f = 60
0.000
ooo
U
However, larger errors will result if large values of E X are neglected! By taking into
E = -0.15) in the pressure
account the change in the volumetric flow rate
drop term, we see that 44.0 lb of catalyst is required per tube as opposed to 45.4lb
when E was neglected in the analytical solution, Equation (E4-7.4).Why was less
The
that
catalyst required when was not neglected in Equation
the numerical solution accounts for the fact that the pressure drop will be less
because E is negative.
4.4
167
It is also interesting to learn what happens to the volumetric flow rate along the
length of the reactor. Recalling Equation
=
Volumetric flow
rate increases
with increasing
pressure drop
----
(3-44)
let f be the ratio of the volumetric flow rate, to the entering volumetric flow
rate,
at any point down the reactor. For isothermal operation Equation (3-44)
becomes
E4-7.2 shows X, y
y =
and f down the length of the reactor. We
see that both the conversion and the volumetric flow increase along the length of the
reactor while the pressure decreases. For gas-phase reactions with orders greater
than zero, this decrease in pressure will cause the reaction rate to be less than in the
case of no pressure drop.
4.000
3.200
2.400
1.600
0.800
0.000
W
Figure
of added
conversion
Output in graphical
from POLYMATH
168
Chap. 4
When small catalyst pellets are required, the pressure drop can be significant. In
4-6 we saw that significant design flaws can result if pressure
drop is
or if steps are not taken to minimize pressure drop. One type
of reactor that minimizes pressure drop and is also inexpensive to build is the
spherical reactor, shown in Figure 4-8. In this reactor, called an ultraformer,
dehydrogenation reactions such as
aromatic t
paraffin
are carried out.
Figure 4-8
Products.) This reactor
petroleum naphtha.
one in a series of
by K. R
Sr.
4.4
169
of the increase in cross-sectional area, A,, as the fluid enters the sphere, the
will decrease. From the Ergun equation
superficial velocity, G =
[Equation
we
that by decreasing G, the pressure drop
he reduced significantly,
resulting in higher conversions.
Because the cross-sectional area of the reactor is small near the inlet and
outlet, the presence of catalyst there would cause substantial pressure drop;
thereby reducing the efficiency of the spherical reactor. To solve this problem,
(Figscreens to hold the catalyst are placed near the reactor entrance and
ures 4-9 and 4-10). Were is the location of the screen from the center of the
Feed
Products
Figure 4-9
of a
Schematic drawing
reactor.
axis
the inside
and
reactor. We can use elementary geometry and integral calculus to derive the
following expressions for cross-sectional area and catalyst weight as a function
of the variables defined in Figure 4-10:
A,
Spherical reactor
catalyst weight
By using these formulas and the standard pressure drop algorithm, one can
a variety of spherical reactor prablems. Note that Equations
and
170
Chap. 4
(4-39) make use of L and not L'. Thus, one does not need to adjust these formulas to treat spherical reactors that have different amounts of empty space at
L L ' ) . Only the upper limit of integration needs
the entrance and exit
to be changed, = L + .
Example 4-8 Dehydrogenation Reactions in a Spherical Reactor
olefin
occur. The reaction is first-orderin paraffin.Assumethat pure paraffin enters the reacand a corresponding concentration of 0.32
tor at a pressure of 2000
Comparethe
and conversion when this reaction is carried out in a tubular packed bed 2.4 in diameter and 25 m in length with that of a sphericalpacked
bed 6 m in diameter. The catalyst weight is the same in each reactor, 173,870 kg.
k'
Additional information:
= 0.032
= 0.4
= 0.02
.
= L' = 27
= 2.6
Solution
Pressure Drop in
4.4
Following
the
171
Reactors
I . Mole balance:
algorithm
In - out generation = 0
Dividing by
0 yields
In terms of conversion
(E4-8.1)
(E4-8.2)
(E4-8.3)
x (1 + 1 -
(E4-8.4)
where
P
that
( y with a subscript) represents the mole fraction and y alone represents
the pressure ratio,
The variation in the dimensionless pressure, y, is given by incorporating the
variable y in Equation (4-24):
The equations in
boxes are the key
equations used
in the ODE solver
The units of
(E4-8.7)
program
(E4-8.8)
For a
reactor
(E4-8.10)
172
Parameter
Recall that
Chap.
(E4-8.11)
X
0.02
+ (25,630
0.01
I
TABLE
Initial Values
Equations
.02
rhoca
1-phi)
10.01
5-phi)
= 0,
54
For the spherical reactor, the conversion and the pressure at the exit are
A comparison
between reactors
0.81
= 1980
If similar calculations are performed for the tubular packed-bed reactor (PBR), one
finds that for the same catalyst weight the conversion and pressure at the exit are
= 0.71
308
Pressure Drop
4.4
173
Reactors
IKEY:
0.800
y2
0.400
n. 200
oao
1.200
0.
Figure
1.600
and
represent the
reactor In addition to the higher
spherical reactor has the economic benefit of reducing the
at the exit
sion cost because of higher
the
and compres-
Because
pressure drop in the spherical reactor is very small, one
could increase the reactant flow rate significantly and still maintain adequate
pressure at the exit. In fact, Amoco uses a reactor with similar specifications to
process 60,000 barrels of petroleum naphtha per day.
where D
(4-40)
pipe diameter, cm
= average velocity of gas,
G=
The friction factor is a function of the Reynolds number and pipe roughness.
The mass velocity G is constant along the length of the pipe. Replacing with
and combining with Equation
for the case of constant T and
Equation (4-40) becomes