10.

37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007

Prof. K. 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.

PFR vs. CSTR: Size and Selectivity

Material balance:
CSTR

V=

PFR

FAo
XA
rA

V=

XA

FAo
dX A
rA

Levenspiel Plot
as X A increases, C A decreases

FAo
rA

1st or 2nd
order
reaction

rA decreases, for 1st and 2nd order,

F
so Ao increases
rA
Figure 1. General Levenspiel Plot.

XA
PFR Volume

CSTR Volume

FAo
rA

FAo
rA

VCSTR

XA

VPFR

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
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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

x2

Figure 3. Schematic of two CSTRs in series.

V1 =

FAo
X1
rA1

0
2nd reactor:
In + Out + Prod = Acc

FA1 FA2 + rA2 V2 = Steady state

10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007

Prof. K. Dane Wittrup

Lecture 9
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FA2 = FA0 X 2 FA0

FAo
rA

V2 =

FA0
rA2

V1

( X 2 X1 )

V2

X1

Figure 4. Reactor volumes for 2 CSTRs

in series.

X2

Multiple CSTRs begin to

approximate a single PFR

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
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2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on
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FAo
rA

FAo
rA

VPFR

VCSTR
VPFR

VCSTR

XA

Designed final
conversion

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

rD = kd C A1

A U

D = Desired, U = Undesired

rU = ku C A

10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007

Prof. K. Dane Wittrup

Lecture 9
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2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on
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SD /U =

Define selectivity

If

1 > 2 , as C A

rD kd (1 2 )
= CA
rU ku

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

increases, S D /U decreases

-CSTR favored
If

1 = 2

then

S D /U =

kd
, no dependence on C A
ku

-Therefore no CSTR/PFR preference.

Define a fractional yield

kd C A1
dCD
=
dC A kd C A1 + ku C A 2

Overall fractional yield

For a CSTR:

= xit C

All D produced
All A consumed

C A = C A C A
0

For a PFR:

If

1
C A

C At

CA 0

dC A

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
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If

1 > 2

CA
Figure 9. Fractional yield versus concentration when 1 > 2.
CSTR

PFR

PFR C A

CSTR C A
C Af

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

C Af

C A0

PFR C A

C Af

CA

C A0 C A

CSTR
PFR
Figure 11. Comparsion of overall fractional yield for a CSTR and a PFR when 1 >
2.

PFR < CSTR

10.37 Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering, Spring 2007
Prof. K. Dane Wittrup

Lecture 9
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2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on
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