CONTINUOUS IDEAL

REACTORS

Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

CSTR Contd. . .

CSTR Animation

 Also called as Mixed, Backmix, Ideal stirred tank reactor

Open system, operates under steady state conditions
Reactants are continuously introduced and products are

continuously withdrawn
Perfect mixing contents have uniform properties
No spatial variations
Conditions at the exit are same as inside the reactor
Used for homogenous liquid phase reactions where

constant agitation is required

Eg. Sulfonation, Polymerization, plastics, explosives,
synthetic rubber etc.
CSTR Contd. . .

Advantages:
Cheap to construct

Good temperature control

Reactor has large heat capacity
Easy access to interiors
Disadvantages:
Conversion per unit volume of the reactor is
smallest compared to other flow reactors

CSTR Contd. . .

Fractional Conversion (xA):

FA0 FA
xA
FA0
C A0 C A (for constant density)
xA
C A0
Space time ():

Space time is the time required to process one

reactor volume of inlet material (feed) measured
at inlet conditions. is the time required for a
volume of feed equal to the volume of the vessel
(V) to flow through the vessel.
= V/v0 = sec
N.B. : Volume of vessel here means volume of Reaction Mixture.

Space Velocity (S):

Space velocity (S) is the reciprocal of space time,
the number of reactor volumes of feed, measured
at inlet conditions, processed per unit time.
Mean Residence time tm:

The residence time is the length of time species

spend in the reactor. All molecules that enter may
not spend the same time in the reactor.
The distribution of residence times RTD
The average length of time that molecules spend in
the reactor mean residence time (tm)
tm = V/vE
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FA FA0 (1 x A )
v0 FA0 / C A0

lit mol mol

sec sec lit

For constant density:

FA FA0 (1 x A )
CA

C A0 (1 x A )
v
v0
For variable density:
FA FA0 (1 x A )
(1 x A )
CA

C A0
v v0 (1 A x A )
(1 A x A )

Stoichiometric Table Flow Systems

aA + bB rR + sS
Species

A
B
R
S
I

Total

Initial

FA0

FB0
FR0
FS0
FI0

FT0

Change
-FA0xA
-(b/a)FA0xA
+(r/a)FA0xA
+(s/a)FA0xA
0

Final moles
FA= FA0(1-xA)
FB= FA0(MB-(b/a)xA)
FR= FA0(MR+(r/a)xA)
FS= FA0(MS+(s/a)xA)
FI = FI0

FT = FT0 + NA0xA

Where: MI = FI0/FA0
= (r/a + s/a b/a 1)

For Constant density: CA = CA0(1-xA)

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11

Design Equation
General Mass Balance Equation:
Rate of Input = rate of output + accumulation
+ rate of disappearance
FA0 = FA + 0 + (-rA) V
FA0 - FA = (-rA) V

FA0
CA0
v0

FA
CA
V
xA

FA0 xA = (-rA) V
V / FAo = xA / -rA
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General Design eqn. for a CSTR:

V / FAo = xA / -rA
V / (v0 CA0) = xA / -rA
/ CA0 = xA / -rA
Design eqn. for a CSTR under constant density:
= (CA0 CA) / -rA

tm = V/vE

Note that the space time and the mean

residence time are equal only in the case of
constant density.
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DA =kCA0n-1

Comparison of Different order

Reactions in a CSTR

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Plug Flow Reactor

15

The necessary and sufficient

condition for plug flow is the
residence time in the reactor to
be the same for all elements of
the fluid.

PFR Animation

16

 PFR is also called as tubular reactor

Residence time is same for all fluid elements

Operated under steady state conditions

Reactants are consumed as they flow down along the
length of the reactor
Axial concentration gradients exist
One long tube or a number of short tubes (see fig.)

Choice of diameter depends on fabrication cost,

pumping cost and heat transfer needs
Wide variety of applications in gas/liquid phase
Eg.: Production of gasoline, cracking, synthesis of
ammonia, SO2 oxidation

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18

(1) The flow in the vessel is Plug flow.

(2)There is no axial mixing of fluid inside the
vessel (i.e., in the direction of flow).
(3)There is complete radial mixing of fluid inside
the vessel (i.e., in the plane perpendicular to
the direction of flow).
(4)Properties may change continuously in the
direction of flow
(5)In the axial direction, each portion of fluid,
acts as a closed system in motion, not
exchanging material with the portion ahead of
it or behind it.
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Advantages:
Easily maintained as there are no moving parts

High conversion per unit volume

Unvarying product quality
Good for studying rapid reactions
Disadvantages:
Poor temperature control
Hot spots may occur when used for exothermic

reactions
PFR Contd. . .

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21

22

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Design Equation
General Mass Balance Equation:

Rate of Input = rate of output + accumulation

+ rate of disappearance

FA = FA + dFA + 0 + (-rA) dV
-dFA = (-rA) dV

FA0 dxA = (-rA) dV

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25

General Design eqn. for a PFR:

xA

V / FA0 dxA / rA

xA

/ C A0 dxA / rA
0

Design eqn. for a PFR (under constant density):

xA

dCA / rA
0

tm dV / v
0

Note that the space time and the mean

residence time are equal only in the case of
constant density.
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CA/CA0

DA = kCA0n-1

Comparison of Different order

Reactions in a PFR

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Item

BR

CSTR

PFR

XA

(NA0-NA)/NA0

(FA0-FA)/FA0

CA

NA/V

FA/v

-rA

(NA0/V)dxA/dt

NA0dxA/V(-rA)

FA0xA/V

FA0dxA/dV
= V/v0

Constant density
XA

(CA0-CA)/CA0

-rA

-dCA/dt

-dCA/(-rA)

(CA0-CA)/CA0
(CA0 -CA)/

-dCA/d

= V/v0
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Algorithm for Isothermal Reactor Design

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30

CSTR
/ CA0 = xA / -rA

PFR
x
A

/ C A0 dxA / rA
0

/ CA0

/ CA0
1 /-rA

xA
31

CSTR
V / FA0 = xA / -rA

PFR
x
A

V / FA0 dxA / rA
0

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CSTR

xA

PFR

dCA / rA

= (CA0 CA) / -rA

1 /-rA

1 /-rA

CA

CA0

CA

(Constant Density)

CA0

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CSTR

(Constant Density)

PFR

1 /-rA

1 /-rA

CA

CA0

CVBR
CA

CA0

t
1 /-rA

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CA

CA0

CSTR

PFR
/ CA0
1 /-rA

/ CA0
xA

VVBR

1 /-rA

1
rA (1 A x A )

t / CA0

xA
35

xA

CSTR

(Constant Density)

PFR

CA

= (CA0 CA) / -rA

dCA / rA
C A0

Zero Order
CA

= (CA0 CA) / k

dCA / k
C A0

k = CA0 CA
k = CA0 xA

k = CA0 CA
k = CA0 xA
Constant Density BR

kt = CA0 CA

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CSTR

(Constant Density)

CA

= (CA0 CA) / -rA

PFR

dCA / rA
C A0

First Order
CA

= (CA0 CA) / kCA

k = (CA0 CA)/CA
k = xA /(1-xA)

dCA / kC A
C A0
A

C
ln
ln(1 x A ) k
C A0

Constant Density BR

CA
ln
kt
C A0

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CSTR

(Constant Density)

CA

PFR

dCA / rA

= (CA0 CA) / -rA

C A0

Second Order
CA

= (CA0 CA) / kCA

dCA / kC A

C A0

k = (CA0 CA)/CA2
k CA0 = xA /(1-xA)2

1
1

k
C A C A0

Constant Density BR

1
1

kt
C A C A0

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Constant Density

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For constant density:

The performance of the Batch reactor is

similar to that of PFR for all orders
The performance of all the three reactors is
the same in case of zero order reaction
The performance of PFR is superior to that
of a CSTR for all orders > 0

For all reaction orders > 0

The volume of a CSTR required for obtaining a

given conversion is larger than that of PFR

For the same volumes of PFR & CSTR, the
conversion obtained is larger in the case of PFR
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(Variable Density)

CSTR
= CA0xA / -rA

PFR
xA

C A0 dxA / rA

CA
1 xA

C A0 1 A x A

Zero Order
xA

= CA0 xA / k

C A0 dxA / k
0

k = CA0 xA

k = CA0xA
Variable Density BR:

C A0 ln(1 A x A ) k At

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CSTR

(Variable Density)

CA
1 xA

C A0 1 A x A

= CA0xA / -rA

PFR
x

C A0 dxA / rA
0

First Order
xA

= CA0 xA / kCA

C A0 dxA / kC A
0

k = CA0 xA/CA

k (1 A ) ln(1 xA ) A xA

Variable Density BR:

ln(1 xA ) kt

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CSTR

(Variable Density)
CA
1 xA

C A0 1 A x A

= CA0xA / -rA

PFR
xA

C A0 dxA / rA
0

Second Order
xA

= CA0 xA / kCA

C A0 dxA / kC A

k = CA0 xA / CA2

C A0 k 2 A (1 A ) ln(1 x A )

x ( A 1) x A /(1 x A )
2
A A

Variable Density BR:

x A (1 A ) /(1 x A ) A ln(1 x A ) kC A0t

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Variable Density

44

Relative performance of plug flow and

continuous-flow stirred tank reactors

Fraction unreacted is larger in CSTR for a given Da

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Comparison of reactor volume required for a given

conversion for a first-order reaction in a PFR and a CSTR

For small conversions VCSTR/VPFR = 1 (selection of reactor

not very critical).

For large conversions, VCSTR/VPFR is very large (selection of

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reactor very critical).

For Variable density:

The performance of CSTR & PFR is similar in
case of zero order (irrespective of constant /
variable density)
The performance of BR is different from the
performance of PFR (the performance was
similar in the case of constant density)
The performance of PFR is superior to that of
a CSTR for all orders > 0 (same as constant
density)
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Comparison of possible advantages (+) and Disadvantages (-)

for Batch, CSTR and PFR Reactors

Criteria

Batch

CSTR

PFR

Reactor size for given conversion

Simplicity and Cost

Continuous operation

Large throughput

Cleanout

On-line analysis

Product quality

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ANY CLARIFICATIONS ?
Abbey, Edward
That which today calls itself science gives us more and more information,
an indigestible glut of information, and less and less understanding.
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