1. A reactant, A, is polymerized by emulsion polymerization in the droplet phase (i.e.

, dispersed
globules) of a plug flow reactor. Batch reactor experiments have provided the following
overall rate expression for this reaction: -rA = kC A2 with k = 1 ´ 10 -3 dm 3 /mol × s . Pure A is fed
to the reactor at a concentration of 1 mol/dm 3 . Determine the space time of the PFR that is
necessary to achieve a conversion of 90%.

Solution
The reaction occurs in droplets, which are essentially macrofluid or miniature batch reactors
travelling through a PFR. Thus, they will have a residence time distribution of a PFR, but the
kinetic properties of batch reactors (You need to use the Segregation model to describe the
reaction behavior of macrofluid). The average conversion (X) out of the PFR will be:

¥
X = ò X batch E (t )dt
0

ktC A0
For 2nd order reaction X batch =
1 + ktC A0
E (t ) = d (t - t PFR )
Therefore
¥ ktC kt PFR C A0
X =ò A0
d (t - t PFR )dt = = 0.9
0 1 + ktC
A0 1 + kt PFR C A0
® kt PFR C A0 = 9
9 9
® t PFR = = = 9000 s
kC A0 0.001 ´ 1

2. The following E(t) curve was obtained from a tracer test on a reactor.
E (t ) = 0.25t 0£t £2
= 1 - 0.25t 2<t £4
=0 t>4
t in minutes.
The conversion predicted by the tanks-in-series model for the isothermal elementary reaction
A® B
was 50% at 300 K. If the temperature is to be raised by 10 oC (E = 25,000 cal/mol) and the
reaction carried out isothermally, what will be the conversion predicted by the Tanks-in-series
model?

Solution

Conversion of T-I-S and Maximum Mixedness model

XT-I-S = 0.5

For a first order reaction

1
 1
X MM = X T - I - S = 1 - n
æ t ö
ç1 + k ÷
è n ø
¥ 2 4
t = t m = ò tE (t )dt = ò t (0.25t )dt + ò t (1 - 0.25t )dt = 2 min
0 0 2
¥ ¥ 2
s 2 = ò (t - t m ) 2 E (t )dt = ò t 2 E (t )dt - t 2 = min 2
0 0 3
t2
n= =6
s2

From the conversion it is possible to determine k at 300 K:

1 1
-1 6 -1
k=
n
1 - X = 1 - 0.5 = 0.367 min -1
t 2
n 6
The conversion at T = 310 K is given by:

æ E E ö
k310 = k300 expçç - ÷÷
è R(300) R (310) ø
æ (25000cal / mol ) (25000cal / mol ) ö
= 0.367 expçç - ÷÷
è (1.986cal / mol × K )(300 K ) (1.986cal / mol × K )(310 K ) ø
= 1.42 min -1

Therefore the conversion at T = 310 K will be:

1 1
X MM = X T - I - S = 1 - n
= 1- 6
= 0.902
æ t ö æ 2 ö
ç1 + k ÷ ç1 + (1.42) ÷
è n ø è 6 ø