Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dane Wittrup Lecture 9: Reactor Size Comparisons for PFR and CSTR This lecture covers reactors in series and in parallel, and how the choice of reactor affects selectivity versus conversion.
V=
Levenspiel Plot
FAo XA rA
V=
XA
FAo dX A rA
as X A increases, C A decreases
FAo rA
XA
CSTR Volume PFR Volume
FAo rA
FAo rA
VCSTR
VPFR
XA
XA
Figure 2. Levenspiel plots for a CSTR and a PFR for positive order reactions. So PFR is always a smaller reactor for a given conversion when kinetics are positive order.
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].
Non-monotonically positive order kinetics arise: Autocatalytic reactions (e.g. cell growth) Adiabatic or non-isothermal exothermic reactions Product inhibited reactions (some enzymes)
Series of Reactors
Example: 2 CSTRs FAo
v1 x1
FA1
v2
FA2
V1 = FAo X1 rA1
x2
10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007 Prof. K. Dane Wittrup
Lecture 9 Page 2 of 6
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].
V2 =
FA0 rA2
( X 2 X1 )
FAo rA
V1
V2
X1
X2
FAo rA
X
Figure 5. Reactor volumes for multiple CSTRs in series.
10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007 Prof. K. Dane Wittrup
Lecture 9 Page 3 of 6
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].
FAo rA
VPFR VCSTR
FAo rA
VCSTR VPFR
X
Designed final conversion
XA
Final X
Figure 6. Levenspiel plots comparing CSTR and PFR volumes for changing kinetics. Left: The CSTR has the smaller volume. Right: The PFR eventually has the smaller volume. Choice of PFR vs CSTR depends on conversion. Choose the reactor that has the smallest volume reduce cost. Reactors: CSTR
FAo rA
VCSTR VPFR
PFR
X
Final X Figure 7. To achieve the desired conversion with smaller reactor volumes, use a combination. In this case, use a CSTR then a PFR. By doing so, the reactor volume is less than the area underneath the curve. For competing parallel reactions, selectivity for desired product can dominate the choice. Example
A D A U
1 rD = kd C A
D = Desired, U = Undesired
rU = ku C A
10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007 Prof. K. Dane Wittrup
Lecture 9 Page 4 of 6
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].
Define selectivity
SD /U =
rD kd (1 2 ) = CA rU ku
If
1 > 2 , as C A
increases, S D / U increases
-Favors PFR because C A starts at C Ao then drops whereas CSTR concentrations are always at lower C A . If
1 < 2 , as C A 1 = 2
then
increases, S D / U decreases
-CSTR favored If
S D /U =
kd , no dependence on C A ku
1 kd C dCD A = 2 1 dC A kd C A + ku C A
For a CSTR:
= xit C
0
C A = C A C A
For a PFR:
1 C A
C At
CA 0
dC A
If
1 = 2
C A
C Af
C A0
CA
Figure 8. Fractional yield versus concentration. Selectivity does not depend on CA.
10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007 Prof. K. Dane Wittrup
Lecture 9 Page 5 of 6
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].
If
1 > 2
CA
Figure 9. Fractional yield versus concentration when 1 > 2. CSTR PFR
CSTR C A
C Af
PFR C A
C Af
C A0 CA
C A0 CA
Figure 10. Comparison of overall fractional yield for a CSTR and a PFR when 1 > 2. PFR is preferred because PFR > CSTR , therefore the yield of D per mol A consumed is higher. If
1 < 2
CSTR C A
PFR C A
C Af
C A0
CA
C Af
C A0 C A
CSTR PFR Figure 11. Comparsion of overall fractional yield for a CSTR and a PFR when 1 > 2.
Cite as: K. Dane Wittrup, course materials for 10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].