REEN 2001

Tutorial 1

Questions Only

Question 1

In bioreactors, the growth is autocatalytic in that the more cells you have, the greater the growth rate:

The cell growth rate, rg, and the rate of nutrient consumption, rs, are directly proportional to the
concentration of cells for a given set of conditions.

Given the Levenspiel plot of 1/-rs as a function of nutrient conversion [Xs where Xs = (CS0 –CS)/CS0],
answer the following:

For a nutrient feed rate of 1kg/hr with CS0 = 0.25 g/dm3, what chemostat (CSTR) size is necessary to
achieve:

a) 40% conversion of substrate

b) 80% conversion of substrate
c) What conversion would you achieve with an 80 dm3 CSTR? An 80dm3 PFR?

Question 2

The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas-phase reaction

2A + B  2C

is to be carried out in a flow reactor for an equimolar feed of A and B. A Levenspiel plot for the reaction
was developed.
a) What PRF volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
c) What do you think of the Levenspiel plot and your answers to parts a and b?
Questions and Answers

Question 1

In bioreactors, the growth is autocatalytic in that the more cells you have, the greater the growth rate:

The cell growth rate, rg, and the rate of nutrient consumption, rs, are directly proportional to the
concentration of cells for a given set of conditions.

Given the Levenspiel plot of 1/-rs as a function of nutrient conversion [Xs where Xs = (CS0 –CS)/CS0],
answer the following:

For a nutrient feed rate of 1kg/hr with CS0 = 0.25 g/dm3, what chemostat (CSTR) size is necessary to
achieve:

a) 40% conversion of substrate 60dm3

b) 80% conversion of substrate 640dm3
c) What conversion would you achieve with an 80 dm3 CSTR? An 80dm3 PFR? For CSTR, X=55%; For
PFR, X=12%

Question 2

The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas-phase reaction

2A + B  2C

is to be carried out in a flow reactor for an equimolar feed of A and B. A Levenspiel plot for the reaction
was developed.
a) What PRF volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion? 150,000 m3
b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion? 50,000 m3
c) What do you think of the Levenspiel plot and your answers to parts a and b? Most known
rate laws would not give such a weird shape. The reactor volumes are unrealistic because
they are way too large.