TOPIC 5

Design of Multiple Reactors for

Single Reaction

PFR in series
MFR in series
PFR + MFR
Reference: Fogler and Levenspiel
PFR in series

FAO FA1
FA2
Xo
X2 FA3
X1
X3
X1
FAO
V1 [ ] dX
0
(rA )

X2
FAO
V2 [
X1
(rA )
] dX

X3
FAO
V V1 V2 V3 [ ] dX
X3
F
V3 [ AO ] dX
X2
( rA )
0
( rA )
MFR in series

FAo FA
V
rA
To write in terms of
F FA1
V1 Ao
rA1
concentration, and
FA1 FA 2 Da
V2
rA 2
 MFR in parallel If reactors are
equal V, operated
FAo1 at same
temperature,
identical feed
FAo FAo2 rates, X are the
same for every
reactor
X1 X 2 X 3
FAo3
Problem 5(a):
PFR then MFR

X1
dX
V1 FAo
0
rA

FAo X 2 X 1
V2
rA 2
MFR then PFR

FAo X 1
V1
rA1
X2
dX
V2 FAo
X1
rA 2
MFR-PFR-MFR series
PFR-MFR-PFR series
 Problem 5(b):
The elementary irreversible reaction A+BC is
conducted in the gas phase in an isothermal
PFR. The fee enters the reactor at a pressure of
10 bar and temperature of 650 K and consists of
30% A, 30% B and 40% inert. The conversion of
A in an existing PFR is measured to be 50%.
By what factor should the PFR volume used for
this process be increased to achieve a
conversion of 75% if there is NO CHANGE in the
feed stream?
Answer: 2.6
Problem 5(c):

Answer: 93.8%,92.3%, 95.1%