Ex.

No : 04
Kinetic Studies in PFR
Date:

AIM:

To determine the rate constant for the saponification of ethyl acetate and sodium
hydroxide in a plug flow reactor.

CHEMICALS REQUIRED:

Sodium hydroxide, Ethyl acetate, HCl and phenolphthalein indicator.

THEORY:

Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) is an ideal steady-state flow reactor, also known as the slug
flow, piston flow, ideal tubular, and unmixed flow reactor, where flow pattern is plug flow. It
is characterized by the fact that the flow of fluid through the reactor is orderly with no
element of fluid overtaking or mixing with any other element ahead or behind. Actually,
there may be lateral mixing of fluid in a plug flow reactor; however, there must be no mixing
or diffusion along the flow path. The necessary condition for plug flow is the residence time
in the reactor is to be the same for all elements of fluid.

The steady state flow reactor is ideal for industrial purpose when large quantity of
material is to processed and when the reaction is fairly high to extremely high. However
extremely good product quality control can be obtained by the PFR. Tubular reactors are
used most often for gas-phase reactions.

The performance equation of plug flow reactor is

Where
 is space time
CAO is initial concentration of component A
CA is exit concentration of component A
V is volume of reactor
FAO is molal flow rate of component A
XA is conversion
-ra is rate of disappearance of component A

REACTION:
Kinetic studies in PFR is performed for the reaction between sodium hydroxide and
ethyl acetate and the stoichiometry is given by
CH 3 COOC 2 H 5  NaOH  CH 3 COONa  C2 H 5OH

12
 Ex.No : 04
Kinetic Studies in PFR
Date:

DIAGRAM

GRAPH

13
TABULATION:

Volumetric
Flowrate Titrate
CAo CA τ K
(LPH) Value XA τCAo
(mol/lit) (mol/lit) (min) (lit/mol.min)
NaOH Ethyl (ml)
Acetate

CALCULATION:

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PROCEDURE:
 5 liters of NaOH and ethyl acetate were prepared and filled in tank.
 The flowrate was adjusted to constant and was let to attain steady state.
 After 10 minutes, the product mixture of 10 ml was collected into a beaker
containing 10 ml of 0.1N HCl to arrest the reaction.
 Then the solution was titrated against 0.05N NaOH with phenolphthalein
indicator appearance of permanent pale pink color was end point.
 The experiment was repeated for different flowrates.

RESULT:
The value of rate constant for the reaction between NaOH & CH3COOC2H5 was
found to be
1. K Theoritical =
2. K Graphical =

15
 Ex.No : 05
Kinetic Studies in CSTR
Date:

AIM:

To determine the rate constant for the reaction between equi-molar quantities of ethyl acetate
and sodium hydroxide in the given Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) at ambient
temperature.

CHEMICALS REQUIRED:

Sodium hydroxide, ethyl acetate, HCl and phenolphthalein indicator.

THEORY:

The mixed reactor is an ideal steady-state flow reactor also known as the back-mix
reactor, the ideal stirred tank reactor, the C*, CSTR (continuous stirred tank reactor), or the
CFSTR (constant flow stirred tank reactor) and is used primarily for liquid phase reactions.
In CSTR the contents are well stirred and uniform throughout thus, the exit stream from this
reactor has the same composition as the fluid within the reactor. Consequently, there is no
time dependence or position dependence of the temperature. the concentration, or the
reaction rate inside the CSTR, that is, every variable is the same at every point inside the
reactor. The type of flow in CSTR is referred as mixed flow, and the corresponding reactor is
mixed flow reactor, or MFR.

The performance equation of continuous stirred tank reactor is

For constant density systems

Where
 is space time
CAO is initial concentration of component A
CA is exit concentration of component A
V is volume of reactor
FAO is molal flow rate of component A
XA is conversion
-rA is rate of disappearance of component A

16
Ex.No : 05
Kinetic Studies in CSTR
Date:

DIAGRAM:

MODEL GRAPH:

17
TABULATION:

Volumetric
Volumetric flow rate Titre
flow rate CAo CA τ CAo K
of ethyl value XA τmin
NaOH gmol/lit gmol/lit gmol lit/gmol.min
acetate (ml)
LPM
LPM

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PROCEDURE:

 Prepare 5 litres of 0.1N NaOH solution.

 Prepare 5 litres of 0.1N Ethyl Acetate solution.

 The flowrate was adjusted to constant and was let to attain steady state.

 After 10 minutes, the product mixture of 10 ml was collected into a beaker containing 10 ml
of 0.1N HCl to arrest the reaction.

 Then the solution was titrated against 0.05N NaOH with phenolphthalein indicator appearance

of permanent pale pink color was end point.

 The experiment was repeated for different flowrates.

Result:

The value of rate constant for the reaction between sodium hydroxide and ethyl
acetate was found to be,

i) K theoretical =
ii) K experimental =

19