Isothermal CSTR design

(Conversion)
 Isothermal reactor design
algorithm for conversion
(CONVERSION)

Last class we had the isothermal batch reactor design in term

of conversion. i.e. all concentrations of reactants and
products that appear in the rate equation were written in
term of conversion.

This lecture is for design of isothermal CSTR where

conversion is considered.

Again, the figure aside represent the algorithm for all

isothermal reactor designs in term of conversion.
Remember, this approach is easly applicable when we have
on reaction, however, for multiple reactions we will use the
approach of molar flowrates as appears in chapter 6 (Fogler)
Design of Isothermal CSTR Reactor in term of conversion

In designing a CSTR reactor, all molar flowrates in

feed and product streams will be written in term of
conversion.

Design steps

1. Define what is the type of reaction and the rate of reaction

For example
If the reaction bellow takes place in liquid phase :

nA→B+C
𝑛
The rate of reaction: −𝑟
  𝐴 = 𝑘 𝑛 𝐶 𝐴
where n is the order of reaction
2. Write the design equation of batch reactor (mole balance)

If the reaction bellow takes place in liquid phase :

The design equation:

Where then the above equation becomes:

Divide the volume by volumetric flowrate will get a space time for the species in the reactor,

Space time is the time necessary to process one volume of reactor fluid at the entrance conditions.
This is the time it takes for the amount of fluid that takes up the entire volume of the reactor to either
completely enter or completely exit the reactor.
3. Write the concentrations of all reactants and products in term of conversion (stoichiometry)

Here, for liquid phase, we need to write all concentrations of reaction species in term of
conversion. Why? Because we need to substitute that in rate low.

Here the rate low contains only

Then
concentration of species A

𝑛 𝑛
4. Substitute the stoichiometry in the rate law −
  𝑟 𝐴 = 𝑘 𝑛 𝐶 𝐴 0 ( 1− 𝑋 )

5. Combine the rate law with the design equation

  𝑉 𝐶𝐴0𝑋
𝜏= = 𝑛
𝑣𝑜 𝑛
𝑘 𝑛𝐶 𝐴 0(1 − 𝑋 )
Remember here, this equation nth order   𝑉 𝐶𝐴0𝑋
𝜏= = 𝑛
reaction. For first order, for example, this 𝑣𝑜 𝑘 𝑛 𝐶 𝑛𝐴 0 ( 1 − 𝑋 )
equation reduces to

  𝑉 𝐶𝐴0 𝑋   𝑋
𝜏= = or 𝜏=
𝑣𝑜 𝑘 1 𝐶 𝐴 0 ( 1− 𝑋 ) 𝑘1 (1 − 𝑋 )

Re-arrange this equation to get

CSTR relationship
  = 𝐷𝑎 𝐼 between space time
or 𝑋 and conversion for a
1+ 𝐷𝑎 𝐼
first-order liquid
phase reaction
  = (Damköhler number of first order)

  =
 Similarly for a Second-Order Reaction in a CSTR

or

  = (Damköhler number of second order)

  =
kg is the global mass transport
  is define as coefficient
a is the interfacial area

¿  General
A plot of conversion as a function of τk for first order reaction

  is increased by either increasing the temperature to increase k

τk
or increasing the space time τ by increasing the volume V or
decreasing the volumetric flow rate .
If the reactor volume, V, is increased by a factor of 2 (or decrease
the volumetric flow rate by a factor of 2) where τk is increased
from 4 to 8, the conversion only increases from 0.8 to 0.89
First-order reaction in a CSTR
 A plot of conversion as a function of τk for second order
reaction

From the figure a 10-fold increase in the

reactor volume (or increase in the specific reaction rate
by raising the temperature) will only increase the
conversion
67% to 88%.

In General
 Design of series CSTRs in term of conversion

The effluent concentration of reactant A from the

first CSTR that is previously developed for first
order reaction

For the second reactor, the design equation with

first order reaction
se
Two CSTRs in series

Solving for CA2, the concentration exiting the

  Where
second reactor

  𝐶 𝐴𝑜
  For a special case, if = 𝐶 𝐴 2=
Then ( 1 +𝜏 𝑘 ) 2
or = =
In General

  Substituting for in terms of conversion to get the general equation

Re-arrange for conversion

A plot of the conversion as a function of the number of

CSTRs in series for a first-order reaction is shown in the
figure

Conclusion: increasing Da1 (τk) will require less number of

CSTRs in series.
Homework (Due Sunday; April 12, 2020)

Refer to Example 5–2 Producing 200 Million Pounds per Year in a CST in Fogler’s book, 5th edition,
page 157 solve the following problem, you should send it to rshawabk@gmail.com before the due
date above.

It is desired to produce 200 million pounds per year of EG. The reactor is to be operated
isothermally. A 15 mol/dm3 solution of ethylene oxide (EO) in water
is mixed with an equal volumetric solution of water containing 0.9 wt % of the catalyst H2SO4
and fed to a CSTR. The specific reaction-rate constant is 0.311 min–1, as determined in Example
5-1.

a) If 75% conversion is to be achieved, determine the necessary CSTR volume.

b) If two 500-gal reactors were arranged in parallel with the feed equally divided, what would
be the corresponding conversion?
c) If two 500-gal reactors were arranged in series, what would be the corresponding
conversion?