A

D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

IDEAL REACTORS -
REVISION
INTRODUCTION


FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CPE624 1
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R
E
A
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I
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N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Design Equation for Ideal
Homogeneous Reactors

Ideal Batch Reactor
Mass Balance
Constant density system
FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CPE624 2
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C
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D

C
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I
C
A
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R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Design Equation for Ideal
Homogeneous Reactors

Ideal Plug Flow Tubular Reactor
(PFTR/PFR)

Ideal Constant Stirred Tank Reactor
(CSTR)
FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CPE624 3
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A
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C
E
D

C
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I
C
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I
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N

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N
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I
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I
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CATALYTIC REACTORS
AND MASS TRANSFER
CHAPTER 1


FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CPE624 4
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A
N
C
E
D

C
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E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Heterogeneous Reactor and
Voidage,
Reactor volume, V = Volume of fluid plus
volume of catalyst
V = V
fluid
+ V
catalyst

Void fraction or the fraction of the reactor
volume occupied by fluid


CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 5
V
V
fluid
= =
reactor of Volume
fluid of Volume
c
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Different types of Rates in
Heterogeneous Catalytic Reactions
Homogeneous reactions:


Heterogeneous reactions:

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 6
time volume
moles

= r
time area
moles
' '

= r
time mass
moles
'

= r
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Pseudo-homogeneous rate
r x (volume of reactor) = r x (area of
catalyst)

Surface area of catalyst




CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 7
catalyst of mass
catalyst of area surface
=
g
s
catalyst of mass
catalyst of area surface
=
g
s
" ) 1 ( r s r
c g
c =
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Space time,


Homogeneous Reactors:


Heterogeneous Reactors
V
fluid
= V

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 8
reactor he through t passes rate flow volumetric
reactor a in fluid of volume
= t
rate flow metric inlet volu
reactor of volume
0
= =
v
t
V
0
v
c
t
V
=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Catalyst Properties
Porous catalyst catalyst that has a large area
Molecular sieves small pore that will admit small
molecule
Monolithic catalyst can be either porous or non-
porous
Supported catalyst - consist of particles of an active
material dispersed over a less active substance.
Unsupported catalyst
Promoters small amount of active ingredients

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 9
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Catalyst Properties
Deactivation of catalyst
Aging
Poisoning
Fouling or coking
Catalytic reaction involved:
Physical adsorption
Chemical adsorption

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 10
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A
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C
E
D

C
H
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M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Porous catalyst
Why we need porous catalyst???
A few major catalyst:
Amorphous silica
High area aluminas
Zeolites/aluminosilicates
Carbon
Supported noble metal catalysts (Pt, Pd, Ag,
Rh, Ni etc)

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 11
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Steps in Heterogeneous Catalytic Reaction
i. External mass transfer (diffusion) of the reactants
(e.g., species A) from the bulk fluid to the external
surface of the catalyst pellet.
ii. Pore diffusion of the reactant from the pore mouth
through the catalyst pores to the immediate vicinity of
the internal catalytic surface.
iii. Adsorption of reactant A onto the active site of
catalyst surface
iv. Reaction on the surface of the catalyst (A B)
v. Desorption of the products (e.g., B) from the surface.
vi. Pore diffusion of the products from the interior of the
pellet to the pore mouth at the external surface
vii. External mass transfer of the products from the
external pellet surface to the bulk fluid
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 12
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Step in catalytic reaction
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 13
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Catalytic Reactors
Packed bed Reactor
Assume no mixing
Mass balance:

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 14
r
dz
dC
u
j
j
v =
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Catalytic Reactors
Slurry and Fludized Bed Reactor
Mass Balance:

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 15
r C C
A A
t =
0
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Mass Transfer Coefficients
(consider the mass transfer correlations for gases)
Mass transfer coefficient is defined through the
Sherwood number:


Flow over flat plate:
For laminar flow (Re
L
< 10
5
)


For turbulent flow

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 16
A
mA
l
D
l k
Sh =
3
1
2
1
Re 66 . 0 Sc Sh
L L
=
3
1
8 . 0
Re 036 . 0 Sc Sh
L L
=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Mass Transfer Coefficients
Flow through a tube
For laminar flow (Re
D
<2100)

For turbulent flow


Flow over a sphere


For stagnant fluid, Sh
D
= 2.0
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 17
3
8
=
D
Sh
3
1
8 . 0
Re 023 . 0 Sc Sh
D D
=
( )
4 . 0
3
2
2
1
Re 06 . 0 Re 4 . 0 0 . 2 Sc Sh
D D D
+ + =
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

External Mass Transfer
At steady state:
[rate of transport to surface] = [rate of reaction at surface]
For first order reaction;


CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 18
As As Ab mA
C k R r R C C k R " 4 " 4 ) ( 4
2 2 2
t t t = =
mA
Ab
As
k
k
C
C
"
1+
=
Ab eff
mA
Ab
C k
k
k
C k
r
"
"
1
"
" =
+
=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Pore Diffusion
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 19
q
As
C k r " "=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Single Pore
A shell balance:
[Net flux in at x] [net flux out at x+dx]
= [rate of reaction on wall between x and x+dx]


CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 20
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Single Pore




Average rate within the pore:



Rate in the pore if the concentration remained at C
As
:
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 21
dx C k d
l
x
x A p
}
=
=
0
) (
" rate actual t
As p
C lk d r " " [area] rate ideal t = =
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Single Pore
Effectiveness factor fraction which the rate is
reduced by pore diffusion limitations



Thus,


CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 22
rate ideal
rate actual
= q
|
|
|
q
| |
| |
tanh 1
=
+

e e
e e
l
D d
k
l
A p
2
1
" 4
|
|
.
|

\
|
= = |
q
As
C k r " "=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Single Pore
The limits of :
1, = 1 no pore diffusion limitation
= 1 = 0.762 some limitation
1 = 1/ strong pore diffusion limitation

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 23
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Porous catalyst slab
Consider slab with average diameter d
p

and length, l with irregular pores
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 24
|
|
q
tanh
=
l
D
k S
A
c g
2
1
"
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

|
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Porous spheres and cylinders
Shell balance:





= 1, 1
= 0.8, = 1
= 1/ 1

Thus,

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 25
A b g
A
A
C k S
dR
dC
D R
dR
d
R
"
1
2
2
= |
.
|

\
|
|
| |
|
q
1 coth 3
=
0 0
2
1
"
R R
D
k S
A
c g

| =
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
q
ideal
r r =
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Temperature Dependence of
Catalytic Reaction Rates
Limiting rate expression for catalytic reaction rates:
r (area/volume) kC
ab
reaction limited
r (area/volume) k
mA
C
Ab
external mass transfer
limited
r (area/volume) kC
ab
pore diffusion limited




CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 26
Rate limiting step Temperature dependence
Reaction Activation energy E
Mass transfer Nearly constant
Pore diffusion Activation energy E/2
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 27
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Langmuir Hinshelwood Kinetics
Adsorption isotherm
S = active site
A = atom; molecule; atomic combination
A.S = one unit of species A adsorbed on site S
Adsorption of A on a site S is represented by:




Site balance:
C
t
= total molar concentration of active sites per unit mass of
catalyst.
C
v
= molar concentration of vacant sites
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 28
S A S A +
S B S A v t
C C C C

+ + =
A
B
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Adsorption isotherms
Isotherms the amount of gas adsorbed on a solid
at different pressures but at one temperature.
A model system was proposed then, the isotherm
obtain from the model is compared with the
experimental data shown on the curve.
If the curve predicted by the model agrees with the
experimental data, the model may reasonably
described what is occurring physically in the real
system.
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 29
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

The former is called molecular or nondissociated
adsorption (e.g., CO).


The latter is called dissociative adsorption (e.g., C
and O).

It is depend on the surface.
The equation can be considered as an elementary
reaction in order to determine the rate law for rate of
adsorption.
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 30
S CO S CO +
S O S C S CO + +2
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Example (nondissociated adsorption)
Consider the adsorption of carbon monoxide
molecule:

The rate of attachment of carbon monoxide molecules to the
active site on the surface is proportional to the number of
collisions that these molecules make with a surface active
site per second.
The collisions rate is proportional to the partial pressure,
P
CO
.
Carbon monoxide molecules adsorb only on vacant sites
and the rate of attachment is proportional to the
concentration of vacant sites, C
v
.
Thus, the rate of attachment to the surface is proportional to
the partial pressure and the concentration of vacant sites

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 31
S CO S CO +
u
C P k
CO A
= attachment of Rate
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Rate of detachment - detachment of CO molecules from the
surface usually proportional to the concentration of sites
occupied by the adsorbed molecules (e.g., C
CO.S
).


Rate of adsorption is equal to the rate of molecular
attachment to the surface minus the rate of detachment from
the surface.


Adsorption equilibrium constant

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 32
S CO A
C k

= detachment of Rate
S CO A CO A AD
C k C P k r

=
u
A A A
k k K

= /
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

A
S CO
CO A AD
K
C
C P k r
u
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

k
A
independent of temperature
k
_A
increases exponentially with increasing temperature
K
A
decreases exponentially with increasing temperature

Site balance:

At equilibrium,

Solve C
CO.S
in terms of constant and partial pressure. Thus,




CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 33
S CO v t
C C C

+ =
CO v A S CO
P C K C =

CO A
t CO A
S CO
P K
C P K
C
+
=

1
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Example (dissociated adsorption)
Consider the isotherm for carbon monoxide
adsorbing as atom:
Two adjacent vacant active site are required.
The rate of adsorption is proportional to the product
of partial pressure of CO and square of the vacant
site concentration.
The rate of desorption is proportional to the product
of the occupied site concentration
Thus, the net rate of adsorption:

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 34
S C S O A v CO A AD
C C k C P k r

=
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

A
S C S O
v CO A AD
K
C C
C P k r
2
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G


Site balance:

At equilibrium,

Consider C
C.S
= C
O.S
. Solve C
O.S
in terms of constant and
partial pressure. Thus,




CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 35
S O S C v t
C C C C

+ + =
S O S C A v CO A
C C k C P k

=
2
2
1
2
1
) ( 2 1
) (
CO A
t CO A
S O
P K
C P K
C
+
=

A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Surface Reaction Model
The rate of adsorption of species A onto solid surface




The reactant that has been adsorbed onto the
surface will react in a number of ways:
Single site
Dual site
Eley-Rideal mechanism
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 36
S A S A +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

A
S A
v A A AD
K
C
C P k r
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Single Site Mechanism
Surface reaction with single site mechanism
Only the site on which reactant is adsorbed is involved in
reaction

The reaction mechanism is elementary in each step, thus the
rate law:

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 37
S A S A +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

S
S B
S A S S
K
C
C k r
A
B
S B S A
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Dual Site Mechanism
Surface reaction may be dual site mechanism
The adsorbed reactant interacts with another site
(occupied/unoccupied ) to form the product.

Adsorbed A react with an adjacent vacant site to yield a
vacant site and adsorbed product site.






CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 38
S S B S S A + +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

S
v S B
v S A S S
K
C C
C C k r
A B
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Reaction between two adsorbed species







Reaction of two species adsorbed on different types of sites
S and S

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 39
S D S C S B S A + +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=


S
S D S C
S B S A S S
K
C C
C C k r
S D S C S B S A + + ' '
|
|
.
|

\
|
=


S
S D S C
S B S A S S
K
C C
C C k r
'
'
A B
D C
A B
D C
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Eley-Rideal Mechanism
The reaction between an adsorbed molecule and
molecule in the gas phase
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 40
) ( ) ( g g
D S C B S A + +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

S
D S C
B S A S S
K
P C
P C k r
A
C
B D
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Desorption
The products of the surface reaction adsorbed on the
surface are subsequently desorbed into the gas
phase.

The rate of desorption:



Desorption equilibrium constant is reciprocal of
adsorption equilibrium constant.
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 41
S C S C +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

DC
v C
S C D DC
K
C P
C k r
C
DC
K
K
1
=
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Example
The adsorption isotherm of A in the presence of
adsorbate B is:



When the adsorption of A and B are 1
st
order, the
desorption are also 1
st
order, and, both A and B are
adsorbed as molecules
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 42
B B A A
t A A
S A
P K P K
C P K
C
+ +
=

1
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

The Rate Limiting Step
The rates of adsorption, surface reaction and
desorption series are equal to one another at steady
state.
Rate limiting or rate controlling is one of the
particular step in the series.
In determining the step limiting in overall rate of
reaction, Langmuir-Hinshelwood approach was
used.
Assuming a sequence of steps in the reaction.
Choose the mechanisms either as molecular or atomic
adsorption and single or dual site reaction.
By assuming all steps are reversible, rate laws are written for
the individual steps.
Rate limiting steps is postulated. Steps that are not rate
limiting are used to eliminate all coverage dependent terms.



CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 43
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Synthersizing a Rate Law,
Mechanism and Rate Limiting Step
Adsorption
Surface Reaction
Desorption
There is no accumulation of reacting species
on the surface, therefore the rates of each
step in the sequence are all equal.


C
v
or C
c.s
in the rate law must replace with
measurable quantities.

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 44
D S AD C
r r r r = = = '
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Adsorption Rate Limiting


Surface Reaction Rate Limiting


Desorption Rate Limiting
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 45
D S A
k k k , s
D A S
k k k , s
S A D
k k k , s
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

BACK UP
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 46
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Exercise
A slurry reactor contains 100m-diameter
spherical particles that catalyze the reaction
A B with a rate r = 10
-3
C
A
in
moles/cm
2
sec with C
A
in moles/liter. There
are 10
5
particles/cm
3
, and only the external
surface of the particles is catalytic. What flow
rate of C
A0
= 2 moles/liter can be processed
in a 10 liter reactor if the conversion is 90%?
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 47
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Exercise
The reaction r = kC
As
, occurs on the external
surface of a sphere of diameter D suspended
in a stagnant fluid in which the diffusion
coefficient of the reactant is D
A
. Find the total
rate of the reaction in terms of these
quantities. How does the rate depend on
particle diameter? How would this influence
the design of a slurry reactor with this
catalyst?
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 48
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Exercise
A 1 m
3
packed bed reactor is filled with 5-mm
diameter catalyst spheres that occupy 0.7 of the total
reactor volume. The feed concentration is
2 moles/liter and the flow rate is 1 liter/sec.
(a) In separate experiments using a small reactor a
pseudohomogeneous rate coefficient of 4 x 10m
3
sec
-1

based on the reactor volume was obtained. Find the
conversion in the packed bed.
(b) Find the conversion if the reaction occurs only on the
external surface of the catalyst spheres with a rate r of
2 x 10
-6
moles cm
-2
sec
-1
.
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 49
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

Exercise
A reactant of bulk concentration C
A0
reacts on the
external surface of catalyst spheres of radius R in a
slurry reactor. The first-order surface reaction rate
coefficient is k, and the diffusivity of A in the solution
is D
A
. Find the effective rate coefficient k
eff
in terms
of these quantities, assuming that stirring is
sufficiently slow that the fluid around particles is
stagnant.
CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 50
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

References
Fogler, H.S. (2006). Elements of Chemical Reaction
Engineering, 4
th
Edition, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Levenspiel, O. (1999). Chemical Reaction
Engineering, 3
rd
Edition, New York: John Wiley.
Schmidt, L.D. (2005). The Engineering of Chemical
Reactions, 2
nd
edition, New York: Oxford University
Press.

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 51
A
D
V
A
N
C
E
D

C
H
E
M
I
C
A
L

R
E
A
C
T
I
O
N

E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
I
N
G

CPE624 FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 52
A
B
A
B
A
B
A B
D C
A B
D C
A
C
B D