2.

Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR):

A continuous stirred tank reactor actually equipped with stirred tank with continuous inflow of the
reactants and outflow of the product mixture. It normally run under unsteady state conditions and
usually used for proper mixing of reactants. The reactor is also known as mixed flow reactor. In this
reactor there is no variation of concentration, temperature and reaction rate within reactor volume.

Advantages of CSTR:
It is possible to maintain this reactor at isothermal conditions for high heat of reaction.
It is quite easy to maintain good temperature control with this reactor.
Due to large volume, it provides a long residence time.
It also has low cost of construction.
Disadvantages:
It is not recommended for high pressure reactions because of cost consideration. For high
pressure reactions it requires complex sealing arrangements for the agitator which increase the
initial as well as maintenance cost.
Conversion of these reactors is low due to this they are not preferred.
These reactors are not suited for high heat effect since availability of both heat transfer
coefficient and heat transfer per unit area is low.
Applications:
These reactors are normally employed on commercial scale mainly for liquid phase reaction at
low or medium pressure.
It is commonly used in industrial processing of homogeneous reactions (only liquid phase) and
usually used in series
The mixed flow reactor (MFR) also known as continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) is a
common ideal reactor type in chemical engineering. A MFR often refers to a model used
to estimate the key unit operation variables when using a continuous agitated-tank reactor
to reach a specified output. This reactor is works for all fluids, liquids, gases, and slurries
which is mixture between solid and liquid. For this system the feed is assumes as a
uniform composition throughout the reactor, exit stream has the same composition as in
the tank

Advantages of Mixed Flow Reactor
Some of advantages of the mixed flow reactor are it relatively cheap and
simplicity to construct compare with other reactor such as batch reactor and it also easy
 in controlling temperature in each stage since each operates in a stationary state. The heat
transfer surface for this reactor also can be easily provided. This reactor can be readily
adapted for automatic control in general that allowing fast response to changes in
operating conditions for examples, feed rate and its concentration. It is also relatively
easy to clean and maintain as it is a simple reactor. Mixed flow reactor also have efficient
stirring and viscosity that is not too high that good to be used.
The model behavior can be closely approached in practice to obtain predictable
performance. This reactor also run under continuous operation where contain input and
output that under steady-state condition. This reactor assumes to be perfectly mixing
during the operating. The reactors also lower in operating cost as using low amount of
electrical energy. As this reactor can be larger in size it can store a lot of heat energy so
that have large in heat capacity.
Disadvantages of Mixed Flow Reactor
The most obvious disadvantage in principle stems from the fact that the outlet
stream is the same as the contents of the vessel. This implies that all reaction takes place
at the lowest concentration (of reactant A, say, cA) between inlet and outlet. For normal
kinetics, in which rate of reaction ( rA) decreases as cA decreases, this means that a
greater volume of reactor is needed to obtain a desired conversion. For abnormal kinetics,
the opposite would be true. Next, the disadvantage for this reactor is its conversion per
unit volume of the reactor is smallest compared to other flow reactors. By passing and
channeling possible this reactors have poor agitation. Reactant added to mixture which is
rich in product in this reactor will effect the quality and yield.
Continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor (CSTR)
In a continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), reactants and products are continuously added
and withdrawn. In practice, mechanical or hydraulic agitation is required to achieve uniform
composition and temperature, a choice strongly influenced by process considerations. The CSTR
is the idealized opposite of the well-stirred batch and tubular plug-flow reactors. Analysis of
selected combinations of these reactor types can be useful in quantitatively evaluating more
complex gas-, liquid-, and solid-flow behaviors.

Figure 3. Continuous stirred tank reactors, (a) With agitator and internal heat transfer
surface, (b) With pump around mixing and external heat transfer surface, (adopted by
ref. 5).

Because the compositions of mixtures leaving a CSTR are those within the reactor, the reaction
driving forces, usually the reactant concentrations, are necessarily low. Therefore, except
for reaction orders zero- and negative, a CSTR requires the largest volume of the reactor types
to obtain desired conversions. However, the low driving force makes possible better control of
rapid exothermic and endothermic reactions. When high conversions of reactants are needed,
several CSTRs in series can be used. Equally good results can be obtained by dividing a single
vessel into compartments while minimizing back-mixing and short-circuiting. The larger the
number of CSTR stages, the closer the performance approaches that of a tubular plug-flow
reactor.

Continuous-flow stirred-tank reactors in series are simpler and easier to design for isothermal
operation than are tubular reactors. Reactions with narrow operating temperature ranges or
those requiring close control of reactant concentrations for optimum selectivity benefit from
series arrangements. If severe heat-transfer requirements are imposed, heating or cooling zones
can be incorporated within or external to the CSTR. For example, impellers or centrally mounted
draft tubes circulate liquid upward, then downward through vertical heat-exchanger tubes. In a
similar fashion, reactor contents can be recycled through external heat exchangers.

The CSTR configuration is widely used in industrial applications and in wastewater treatment
units (i.e. activated sludge reactors).
CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTORS - CSTR

Continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) are the most basic of the continuous reactors
used in chemical processes. The CSTR below is a half pipe coil jacketed reactor.

(Copyright Central Fabricators, Cincinnati, OH)

GENERAL INFORMATION
Continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) are open systems, where material is free to
enter or exit the system, that operate on a steady-state basis, where the conditions in
the reactor don't change with time. Reactants are continuously introduced into the
reactor, while products are continuously removed.

CSTRs are very well mixed, so the contents have relatively uniform properties such as
temperature, density, etc. throughout. Also, conditions in the reactor's exit stream
are the same as those inside the tank. Pictured below is a CSTR that has yet to be
fitted with a stirring system.

(Copyright American Alloy Fabricators, Inc., Norristown, PA)

Systems connecting several CSTRs are used when the reaction is too slow. Multiple
CSTRs can also be used when two immicible liquids or viscous liquids are present and
require a high agitation rate.

EQUIPMENT DESIGN
The movie below shows the operation of a CSTR. Reactants are fed continuously into
the reactor through ports at the top. The contents of the tank are well mixed by the
unit's stirring device. Products are removed continuously.

CSTRs consist of a tank, usually of constant volume, and a stirring system to mix
reactants together. Also, feed and exit pipes are present to introduce reactants and
remove products. Pictured below is a CSTR that has had a portion of its side removed
to show the interior.
 (Copyright Pfaudler Inc., Rochester, NY)

Stirring blades, also called agitators, are used to mix the reactants. Below are
pictures of various agitators that could be used inside a CSTR.
 (Copyright DCI, Inc., St. Cloud, MN)

A CSTR can also function as a loop reactor when a heated, pressurized fluid is
injected into the system to facilitate the stirring. This allows for higher heat and mass
transfer rates while simplifying maintenance because there is no agitator.

The picture below is of a cell culture reactor. An initial amount of cells are placed in
the fibrous-bed basket. A nutrient rich medium is continuously fed into the reactor,
and products are harvested. As the cells grow, they produce by-products, which are
continuously removed from the reactor. The reactor below uses a pitched-blade
impeller to continuously mix the reactants.

(Copyright New Brunswick Scientific, Edison, NJ)

The picture below is of a typical fermentor. Reactants are placed inside the reactor
continuously and are agitated by the reactors stirring device. Over time the reactants
are broken down and products are continuously removed from the reactor.

Copyright New Brunswick Scientific, Edison, NJ)

USAGE EXAMPLES
Continuous stirred-tank reactors are most commonly used in industrial processing,
primarily in homogeneous liquid-phase flow reactions, where constant agitation is
required. They may be used by themselves, in series, or in a battery. CSTR are also
used in the pharmaceutical industry as a loop reactor.

A dimple jacketed pressure vessel is shown in the picture on the left, and a half pipe
coil jacketreactor is on the right.
 (Copyright Central Fabricators, Cincinnati, OH)

CSTRs, like the one below, are often used in biological processes, such as cell
cultures. The CSTR shown below can be used for high-density animal cell culture in
research or production. The vessels used are for single use.
 (Copyright New Brunswick Scientific, Edison, NJ)

Fermentors are CSTRs used in biological processes in many industries, such as

brewing, antibiotics, and waste treatment. In fermentors, large molecules are broken
down into smaller molecules, with alcohol produced as a by-product. The industrial
fermentor on the left has a capacity of 500 L, while the one on the right holds 3.0 L.