Ingeniera de las Reacciones Qumicas Parallel Reactor Design

Parallel Reactor Design - Mathematical Context

Karen Pieros Gonzlez 244675 kpinerosg@unal.edu.co

CSTR The reactors are arranged in parallel and the feed is distributed equally to each reactor as shown Figure 1. FA01 X1

FA0 FA0i

1 Xi FA i FA0n Xn

n
Figure 1 CSTRs in parallel

Where the letter i represents any reactor in the system A mole balance on any reactor gives In Out + Generation = 0 FA0 FAi + The molar flow rate of A at any point is FAi = FA0 FA0Xi Rearranging ( ) rAiVi =0

If the reactors are of equal size, operate at the same temperature and have identical feed rates, the conversion is going to be the same for each reactor. X1 = X2 = = X n = X The rate of reaction in each reactor -rA1 = -rA2 = = -rAn = -rA

Ingeniera de las Reacciones Qumicas Parallel Reactor Design

The volume of each individual reactor, Vi, is related to the total volume, V

In the same way, for the total molar flow rate

Hence, the reactor volume ( )

To know the feed necessary for every branch the following analysis is carried out: The conversion to the output of the system is:

Defined

( To obtain the maximum conversion

Therefore, the condition of maximum is equivalent to obtain the same conversion in both branches of the system.

Ingeniera de las Reacciones Qumicas Parallel Reactor Design PFR For the optimum hook up of PFR reactors connected in parallel, we should treat the whole system as a single PFR reactor of volume equal to the total volume of the individual units, if the feed is distributed in such a way that fluid streams have the same composition. XA1 V1 FA0 V2 XA2

For reactors in parallel V/F or must be the same for each parallel line. In Out + Generation = 0 FA0 FAi + rAidVi =0

In terms of the entering molar flow rate FA0 and the conversion X

Differentiating

To obtain the PFR volume necessary to achieve a specific conversion X: If XA1 = XA2 ( )

Bibliography [1] FOGLER, H Scott. Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering Prentice Hall International Series, Fourth Edition. 2006. Pg 160 - 162 [2] LEVENSPIEL, Octave. Chemical Reaction Engineering Limusa Wiley Publishers, Third Edition. Mexico. 2007. Pg 125. [3] http://www.sc.ehu.es/iawfemaf/archivos/materia/00632.htm Consulted 02.August. 2012