CHE424

Chemical Reaction Engineering II

Note 2: Flow Models
• Models are useful for representing flows in
real vessels, for scale up, and for diagnosing
poor flow. There are different kinds of models
depending on whether the flow is close to
plug, mixed, or somewhere in between.
• From now on we shall be studying different
models that represent real flows in different
types of reactors.
 Compartment Model

• Flow models can be of different levels of

sophistication and the compartment models are the
next stage beyond the simplest, those that assume
the extremes of plug flow and mixed flow. In these
models we consider the vessel and the flow through
it as follows;
• By comparing the E curve for the real vessel
with the theoretical curves for various
combinations of compartments and through
flow, we can find which model best fits the
real vessel. The fit may not be perfect however
but models of this kind are often a reasonable
approximation to the real vessel.
• Various E curves for different combinations of
these models are shown in the figures below.
Figure 1:Various compartment flow models
Figure 1: (cont.)
Figure 1: cont.
Possible Applications
(1) If we know M (kg of tracer introduced in the pulse)
we can make a material balance check. Remember
M = v (area of curve). If we only measure the
output C on an arbitrary scale, we cannot find M
or cannot make this material balance check.
(2) Both V and v must be known in order to be able to
properly evaluate all the elements of a model,
including dead spaces. If we only measure tobs we
cannot find the size of the stagnant regions and we
have to ignore them in the model.
• Therefore;

(3) The semilog plot is a convenient tool for

evaluating the flow parameters of a mixed flow
compartment. Just draw the tracer response
curve on this plot, find the slope and intercept
and this gives the quantities A, B and C shown in
the figure below.
Figure 2: Properties of exponential decay tracer curve
Diagnosing Reactor Ills

• These combined models are useful for

diagnostic purposes to pinpoint faulty flow
and suggest causes. For example, if you expect
plug flow and you know Figure 3 shows
what you could find.
• If you expect mixed flow, Figure 4 shows what
you may find.
Figure 3: Misbehaving Plug flow reactors
Figure 4: Misbehaving mixed flow reactors
Example 1: Behaviour of a gas/liquid contactor

• From the measured pulse tracer response curve

shown in the figure, find the fraction of gas, of
flowing liquid and of stagnant liquid in the gas-
liquid contactor.
• To find Vg, Vl and Vstag, first calculate
from the tracer curves.
tg1 = 8; tg2 = 11 (conc. data)

• Therefore from the figure;

• Therefore;

• In terms of void volume;