Lecture 11, Example 1

• Consider an ideal CSTR and an ideal PFR in series. A mixture of A and B is

being fed to the CSTR at a volumetric flowrate of 120 mL/min. The solution
is 1.2M in A and 1.5M in B.
A+BC+D
• The reactor cascade is designed such that the conversion leaving the CSTR
is 0.3 and the final conversion leaving the PFR is 0.85. Determine the
volumes of the two reactors.
• What would the length of the PFR be if the internal pipe diameter is 8
inches?

• Knowns:
• k1 = 0.0036 L mol-1 min-1
Conversion as a function of the PFR Volume
1.5
Conversion, XA

1.0

0.5

0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250
PFR Volume (L)
Conversion as a function of the PFR Length
1.5
Conversion, XA

1.0

0.5

0.0
0 5 10 15 20 25
PFR Length (ft)
Lecture 11, Example 2
• Consider the same reactor as Example 1, except now add a recycle
stream. Plot the conversion of A as a function of the recycle ratio
Conversion vs. Recycle Ratio, CSTR
1.0

0.8
Conversion, XA

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Recycle Ratio, R