CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING CHE594

TUTORIAL 5

Tutorials for Reactors in series:

1. A liquid reactant stream (1 mol/liter) passes through two mixed flow reactors in a series.
The concentration of A in the exit of the first reactor is 0.5 mol/liter. Find the concentration
in the exit stream of the second reactor. The reaction is second-order with respect to A
and V2/V1= 2.

2. We wish to treat 10 liters/min of liquid feed containing 1 mol A/liter to 99%

conversion. The stoichiometry and kinetics of the reaction are given by:

A R, =
0.2+ .
Suggest a good arrangement for doing this using two mixed flow reactors, and find
the size of the two units needed.

3. The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas phase reaction

is to be carried out in a flow reactor for a stoichiometric feed of A and B.

a) What PFR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?

b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
c) What CSTR volume must be added to raise the conversion in Part (b) to 80%?
d) What PFR volume must be added to raise the conversion in Part (b) to 80%?

4. An elementary, gas phase isothermal and isobaric reaction of 2A B + 2C was carried

out in a series of reactor as shown in Figure 1 below.

V1 X1 = 0.2 V2
X2 = 0.6

V3 X3 = 0.65
CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING CHE594

Initially, pure A was fed to the reactor at a molar flow rate of 50 kmol/hr. Experimental
data obtained were presented in Table 1 which relates the conversion and the rates
of reactions.
Table 1. Conversion in relation to rates of reactions
X 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.65
-rA (kmol/m3.h) 39 53 59 38 25

a) Construct complete stoichiometric table for the reaction described above.

b) Calculate the volume for each of the reactors V1, V2 and V3 in m3.
c) If the arrangement is changed in which the first reactor is a PFR and followed by CSTR
and another PFR, determine the volume of each reactor in m3.
d) For the same final conversion of 0.65, suggest which arrangement is better based on your
answers in (b) and (c). State your reason(s).

5. A series reactor is suggested for the production of B, which follows equation AB of first
order. The feed rate is given as 0.867 mole/s. If CSTR followed by PFR scheme is chosen,
determine the volume required for both reactors if the conversion from CSTR, X 1=50%
and overall conversion, Xfinal is 70%. Use the data below to assist you in determining the
volume.

Table 2: Rate of reaction in series reactor scheme

Conversion, 0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
X
-rA (mol/L.s) 0.0053 0.0052 0.005 0.004 0.0025 0.00125

Tutorials for Reversible reactions :

5. The reversible liquid phase reaction

A + B <=>C

Equal molar of liquid A and liquid B reacts in a continuous stirred tank reactor
(CSTR) to produce product C. Liquid is fed into the reactor with a concentration of 5
mol/dm3. The equilibrium constant for above reaction is 8 mol2/dm3. Calculate the
equilibrium conversion and concentration for each component. Assume that the
reaction is in constant volume.

6. Problem 3-16 pg 137 (Fogler 4th edition)

7. Problem 4-13 pg 241(Fogler 4th edition)