CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

UNPAR - TH @2008
1






CHAPTER 3 - CHEMICAL REACTOR
DESIGN FOR SINGLE REACTION
Our greatest glory is not in never falling,
but in getting up every time we do
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
2
AIMS
To give basic chemical reactor design concepts for
single-phase (homogeneous) single reaction
To quantify the choice of different reactor type (PFR or
CSTR) on the reactor size and performance
To develop a general guidelines in selecting the
appropriate reactor system for a given type of reaction
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
3
INTRODUCTION
Scope: reactions in homogeneous (liquid or gas phase)
system
Economic optimization needs: reactor sizing and product
distribution. Reactor size is the main concern for single
reaction system, and the second one should be accounted
for in complex reaction system.
Focus: reactors are compared or evaluated based on the
size needed to perform a given single reaction
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
4
PFR vs CSTR power law kinetics
For a given reaction, we may compare the CSTR/PFR size to achieve
a certain conversion.
for a given feed,
ordinate = V
M
/ V
P
key factors :
- reaction orders
- X
A
(degree of
conversion)

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
5
MULTIPLE REACTORS
SETUP
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
6
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Series PFR
For a highly exothermic or endothermic reaction, we may
need to use more than one PFR (mostly 2, sometimes 3
stages) in series. Therefore, inter-stage cooling or
heating is possible to get the desire T profiles. Each
stage of the PFR is normally adiabatic in operation.
1 N 2
C
A0

F
A0
X
0
= 0
C
A1

F
A1
X
1
C
A2

F
A2
X
2
C
A N - 1

F
A N - 1
X
N - 1
C
A N

F
A N
X
N
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
7
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Parallel PFR
For a highly exothermic or endothermic reaction, we may
also use many parallel PFR (typically hundreds of small
tubes). Therefore, heat transfer area for cooling or
heating is sufficient for effective T control.
The rules : the feed must be split so that the space time
of each PFR is uniform (since the sizes of parallel PFRs
are normally identical, therefore the feed is equally
divided into the reactors). Otherwise, the reactors will be
less efficient !! Examine Example 6.1 Levenspiel
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
8
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Series CSTR
Single CSTR is normally less efficient than PFR for positive-order
reactions, however, in some cases the use of CSTR is inevitable (eg
for viscous mixture, stringent T control required). The use of multiple
CSTR in series (with identical volume) is more efficient than single
CSTR.
C
A0
X
0
= 0
Q (eA = 0)

C
A1

X
1
C
A2

X
2
C
A N - 1

X
N - 1
C
A N

X
N
1
st
order
case
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
9
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Series CSTR
For most cases, only a few (2 3) CSTRs are used, because
the reactor-accessories related cost limits the number of N.
kt is the operating line for any combinations of kinetic, feed, and reactor size.
If N is very
large, the
CSTR-in-series
will behave like
a PFR !!

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
10
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Series CSTR
kC
A0
t is the
operating line for
any combinations
of kinetic, feed,
and reactor size.
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
11
MULTIPLE REACTORS
Parallel CSTR
The rules : if it is not absolutely necessary,
NEVER use CSTR in parallel, since the multiple
reactors will be less efficient than the single
CSTR!!
However, if you need to, divide the feed equally
into equal-sized n CSTRs (Fogler, page 160
162)
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
12
Example 6.2 & Problem 6.14
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
13
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
14
PFR with RECYLE
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
15
PFR with Recycle
In certain situations (eg solid catalyzed reactions in a fixed-bed
reactor Chapter 19 Lev, homogeneous autocatalytic reactions), we
may need to recycle the outlet of a PFR in order to achieve a better
overall reactor performance.
General PFR-recycle
Design Equation
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
16
PFR with Recycle
If e
A
= 0 (eg for liquid system)
PFR-recycle
Design Equation
e
A
= 0
1
2
3
graphical
estimation
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
17
PFR with Recycle
If R is very large, the PFR-recycle reactor will behave like a
CSTR !!

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
18
PFR with Recycle
Problem P 6.21 Lev & 6.18 !!

READ : FOGLER (4
th
Ed) page 232 & 233 cases in which
PFR with recycle is useful.

One case of the PFR-recycle uses is an auto-catalytic
reaction

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
19








A Girl Can Change Ur GOALBeware
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
20
REACTOR SETUP
AUTOCATALYTIC REACTION
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
21
AUTO-CATALYTIC
The unique shape of auto-catalytic reactions: the maximum rate point
combination of + and order reaction !! (read more page 143 Lev)
Which reactor is more efficient?
> single reactor : PFR vs CSTR

> PFR with R
> PFR-CSTR combination
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
22
@ small conversion CSTR is better (more effective) than PFR

@ big X
A
PFR is better than CSTR
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR vs CSTR
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
23
There is a R which makes the PFR size minimum optimum R

Remember : R opt is not applicable for first / second order reactions
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR with Recycle
V/F
A0
smallest
V/F
A0
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
24
R opt can be found by differentiating the PFR-recycle design equation to
minimize t or V

AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR with Recycle
The differentiation of an integral term can be solved by applying Leibnitz
theorem. The optimum X
A1
value can be finally calculated from the
following equation (read Lev page 142) :
X
A1
opt
R opt
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
25
Problem R
opt
& Prob 6.10

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
26
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
27
R opt may also be estimated graphically (by trial & error) as follows :
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR with Recycle
=
R opt
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
28
For X
Af
the maximum rate point, CSTR is better than PFR or PFR-R
opt


For X
Af
> the maximum rate point, PFR-R
opt
is better than CSTR or PFR
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR with R vs CSTR vs PFR
How to show the V/F
A0
for the PFR in the graphs ?
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
29
Facts :
if final conversion till the
maximum rate CSTR is
better (more effective) than
PFR
if final conversion pass the
maximum rate PFR is better
than CSTR

Combination of CSTR
(operated @ max rate) with
PFR (from max rate until final
conversion) will be the best
combination
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR-CSTR COMBINATION
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
30


If the unconverted reactant
can be separated from the
product easily (at reasonable
cost), the best setup is to use
CSTR at the max rate (M)
since the reactor volume is
minimum.

However, the cost of
separation and recycle will
determine which setup is the
most cost effective
AUTO-CATALYTIC
PFR-CSTR COMBINATION
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
31
Example 6.3 Lev
(for part b read p 131 134)

CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING -
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNPAR - TH @2008
32
HOMEWORK # 2

Problem 6.4 & 6.19