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Reactor Design and Sizing Problems

The document presents a series of tutorial problems related to design equations and reactor sizing for various chemical reactions. It includes calculations for batch reactors, CSTRs, and plug flow reactors, focusing on conversion rates, reactor sizes, and flow rates. The problems involve both liquid and gas-phase reactions, requiring the application of reaction kinetics and stoichiometry.

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6 views3 pages

Reactor Design and Sizing Problems

The document presents a series of tutorial problems related to design equations and reactor sizing for various chemical reactions. It includes calculations for batch reactors, CSTRs, and plug flow reactors, focusing on conversion rates, reactor sizes, and flow rates. The problems involve both liquid and gas-phase reactions, requiring the application of reaction kinetics and stoichiometry.

Uploaded by

mymemetemplates
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

TUTORIAL PROBLEMS: DESIGN EQUATIONS & REACTOR SIZING

1. (a) We are planning to operate a batch reactor to convert A to R. This is a liquid phase
reaction with stoichiometry A  R. Given the rate data in the Table below, determine the
time required for the concentration of A to reduce from 1.3 mol/L (initial) to 0.3 mol/L.

CA (mol/L) (-rA) (mol/[Link])


0.1 0.1
0.2 0.3
0.3 0.5
0.4 0.6
0.5 0.5
0.6 0.25
0.7 0.10
0.8 0.06
1.0 0.05
1.3 0.045
2.0 0.042

(b) For the same reaction, what size


of CSTR is needed for 75%
conversion of a feed stream
containing 1000 mol/h A with
concentration 1.2 mol/L?

2. We plan to replace our current CSTR with one having double the volume. For the same
aqueous feed (10 mol A/L) and the same feed rate, find the new conversion. The present
conversion is 70%. The reaction kinetics are represented by 𝐴 𝑃 (−𝑟𝐴 ) = 𝑘𝐶𝐴

3. At 650°C phosphine vapor decomposes as follows:

4𝑃𝐻3  𝑃4 + 6𝐻2 (−𝑟𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑠 ) = (10ℎ−1 )𝐶𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑠

What size of plug flow reactor operating at 650°C and 11.4 atm is needed for 75%
conversion of 10 mol/h of phosphine, if feed contains 2/3 rd phosphine and 1/3rd inert?
4. 90% of reactant A is converted into product by a second-order liquid phase reaction in a
single CSTR. If a second CSTR with same volume as the first one is placed in series after
the first one, how does this arrangement affect the conversion?

5. Consider isothermal gas-phase isomerization A  B. The rate data obtained from a batch
reactor at 500 K and 800 kPa is given below. Earlier we have determined that to obtain
overall conversion 80% using 2 CSTRs in series (conversion after first CSTR was 40%)
for feed flow rate of 0.4 mol/s, the volumes required were 0.8 and 3.2 m3. Now, if we place
the 2 CSTRs (volume as given) in parallel with the feed flow equally divided between each
reactor, what would be the conversion?

Table 4-1 Batch Rate data

X (-rA), mol/m3.s FA0/(-rA), m3


0 0.45 0.45
0.1 0.37 0.54
0.2 0.3 0.67
0.4 0.195 1.03
0.6 0.113 1.77
0.7 0.079 2.53
0.8 0.05 4

6. The isomerization of butane is carried out adiabatically in liquid phase. The rate data is
given in the Table below. If the following arrangement of reactors is to be used, calculate
the volume of each reactor for entering butane flow rate of 50 kmol/h. Sketch the volumes
on a Levenspiel plot.

X (-rA), kmol/m3.h
0 39
0.2 53
0.4 59
0.6 38
0.65 25

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