REACTOR

MALIK MUSTHOFA, ST., MSC

LEC 03  Review
 Space time, space velocity
 Comparing: CSTR, PFR, and Batch
 Examples and case study
REVIEW: IDEAL REACTOR
 IDEAL REACTOR
Ideal flow (well mixed), ideal thermal conditions (isothermal, adiabatic), and ideal reaction
system (homogeneous).
Stirred-tank Continuous
stirred-tank Plug flow
batch
• Complete • Complete • Perfect
mixing mixing radial mixing
• Well- • Steady state • No axial
defined • Broad mixing
residence residence- • Steady state
time time
MOLE BALANCE (REVIEW)
CONVERSION: SUMMARY
 SPACE TIME
Space time ()
 The space time is the time required to process one reactor volume of feed at
specific conditions.
 The space time is obtained by dividing the reactor volume by the volumetric flow
rate entering the reactor
𝑉
𝜏= , [𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒] … (1)
𝑣0
 SPACE TIME

For volumetric flow of 0. 01 m3/s:

0.2
𝜏= = 20 𝑠
0.01

It would take 20 s for the fluid molecules at point a to move to point b

 SPACE VELOCITY
Space velocity (s)
 Reciprocal of space time = [1/] in a unit time
 It indicates the number of reactor volumes processed in unit time.
1 … (2)
𝑠=
𝜏
o A space-velocity of 5 hr-l means that five reactor volumes of feed at
specified conditions are being fed into the reactor per hour.
o A space-time of 2 min means that every 2 min one reactor volume of
feed at specified conditions is being treated by the reactor.
SPACE TIME: CSTR, PFR
𝐹𝐴 = 𝐶𝐴 . 𝑣
𝑉 𝑉𝐶𝐴0 𝐶𝐴0 𝐶𝐴0 − 𝐶𝐴 … (3)
CSTR 𝜏= = = 𝑋𝐴 =
𝑣0 𝐹𝐴0 −𝑟𝐴 −𝑟𝐴

𝑥
𝑉𝑝 𝑑𝑋
PFR 𝜏𝑝 = = 𝐶𝐴0 … (4)
𝑣0 −𝑟𝐴
0
 SPACE TIME: BATCH VS PFR
For liquid reaction:
𝑥 𝑥
𝑑𝑋 𝑑𝑋
Batch 𝑡𝐵 = 𝑁𝐴0 = 𝐶𝐴0 … (5)
−𝑟𝐴 𝑉 −𝑟𝐴
0 0
All fluid elements have the
𝑥 same residence time
𝑉𝑝 𝑑𝑋
PFR 𝜏𝑝 = = 𝐶𝐴0 … (6)
𝑣0 −𝑟𝐴
0
REACTOR PERFORMANCE: BATCH VS PFR
constant density

BATCH PFR
BATCH PFR
REACTOR PERFORMANCE: CSTR VS PFR

For the same reaction and

conversion, PFR provides smaller a
volume of reactor.
SPACE VELOCITY
Commonly used in industry

𝑣0 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑
𝐿𝐻𝑆𝑉 = Liquid Hourly Space Velocity
𝑉

𝑣0 𝑆𝑇𝑃
𝐺𝐻𝑆𝑉 = Gas Hourly Space Velocity
𝑉
SPACE TIME
SPACE TIME
 CASE 01 : BATCH REACTOR

A liquid reaction is conducted in a batch reactor. Determine the time required to

achieve 0.9 conversion! k Rate constant = 0.5 h-1 and CA0 = 1 mole/L! What is the
time of reaction for k = 5 h-1 and CA0 = 1 mole/L!

k = 0.5 k=5
n t (h) n t (h)
0 ….. 0 …..
1 4.6 1 0.46
2 ….. 2 …..

The higher order of reaction………. The higher rate constant……….

CASE 01 : BATCH REACTOR

1. Mole balance 4. Combine

𝑥 𝑥
𝑑𝑋 𝑑𝑋 From eq. (1), (2), and (3)
𝑡 = 𝑁𝐴0 = 𝐶𝐴0 (1) 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
−𝑟𝐴 𝑉 −𝑟𝐴 𝑑𝑋 𝑑𝑋 1 𝑑𝑋
0 0
𝑡 = 𝐶𝐴0 = 𝐶𝐴0 =
−𝑟𝐴 𝑘 𝐶𝐴0 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 ) 𝑘 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 )
0 0 0
2. Rate law
0.9
1 𝑑𝑋 0.9
−𝑟𝐴 = 𝑘𝐶𝐴 (2) 𝑡= = 2. − ln(1 − 𝑋𝐴 ) = 4.6 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠
0.5 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 ) 0
0
3. Stoichiometry
𝐶𝐴 = 𝐶𝐴0 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 ) (3)
CASE 02 : CSTR & PFR

A liquid reaction is conducted in a CSTR and PFR reactors. Determine the volume
required to achieve 0.9 conversion! k Rate constant = 0.5 h-1, CA0 = 1 mole/L, FA0
= 10 mole/h! What is the volume of reactor for k = 5 h-1!
 k = 0.5 k=5
n VCSTR (L) VPFR (L) n VCSTR (L) VPFR (L)
0 ….. …. 0 ….. ….
1 180 ….. 1 18 ….
2 ….. ….. 2 ….. …..

The higher order of reaction………. The higher rate constant……….

k = 0.5 k=5
n CSTR (h) PFR (h) n CSTR (h) PFR (h)
0 ….. …. 0 ….. ….
1 18 ….. 1 1.8 ….
2 ….. ….. 2 ….. …..
 CASE STUDY: CSTR VS PFR
1. Mole balance 4. Combine
𝐹𝐴0 𝑋𝐴
𝑉= (1) From eq. (1), (2), and (3)
−𝑟𝐴
2. Rate law 𝐹𝐴0 𝑋𝐴 𝐹𝐴0 𝑋𝐴 𝐹𝐴0 𝑋𝐴
𝑉= = =
−𝑟𝐴 𝑘 𝐶𝐴 𝑘 𝐶𝐴0 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 )
−𝑟𝐴 = 𝑘 𝐶𝐴 (2)

3. Stoichiometry 10 (0.9)
= (5)
0.5(1 − 0.9)
𝐶𝐴 = 𝐶𝐴0 (1 − 𝑋𝐴 ) (3)

= 180 𝐿
CSTR VS PFR CSTR VS PFR
CSTR VS PFR: NOTES

1. For any particular duty and for all positive reaction orders the mixed reactor
is always larger than the plug flow reactor. The ratio of volumes increases
with reaction order.
2. When conversion is small, the reactor performance is only slightly affected
by flow type. The performance ratio increases very rapidly at high
conversion; consequently, a proper representation of the flow becomes very
important in this range of conversion.
3. Density variation during reaction affects design; however, it is normally of
secondary importance compared to the difference in flow type.
THANK YOU