CSTR in series

Consider a liquid phase, second order reaction A  B  C conducted isothermally. Feed

contains 20 mole % A and 80 mole % inert. Feed rate is 40 mol/min and the volumetric flow
rate is 5 lit/min. The required conversion is 80%. Determine the volume needed if it is
conducted in (a) a single CSTR (b) Two CSTRs of equal volume in series and (c) two CSTRs
of possibly unequal volume in series, but with the constraint that the total volume is
minimum. The rate is given by rA  0.05CA2 mol/lit/min

Solution
(a) Single CSTR. Design equation is

FAin   rA V  FAout

FA-in = 0.2 × 40 = 8 mol/min. CA-in =8/5 = 1.6 mol/lit

At 80% conversion, FA-out = 8 ×(1-0.8)= 8 × 0.2 = 1.6 mol/min.

Since this is liquid phase reaction, volumetric flow rate is a constant. Then, we can write
CA  CAin 1  x   1.6  1  0.8  1.6  0.2  0.32 mol/lit

8  0.05  0.322 V  1.6

V
8  1.6  1250 lit
0.05  0.322

(b) It is conducted in two equal volume CSTRs in series.

FAin   rA 1 V  FAout 1
FAout 1   rA 2 V  FAout 2

Here, outlet of reactor 1 goes to the inlet of reactor 2. The conversion at the intermediate
stage can be written as x1.

8  0.05  C A2in  1  x1   V  8  0.128  1  x1   V  FAin  1  x1   8  1  x1 

2 2

FAin  1  x1   0.05  C A2in 1  0.8  V  8  1  x1   0.00512  V  FAin  1  0.8  8  0.2  1.6

2

8  0.128  1  x1   V  8  1  x1 
2

8  1  x1   0.00512  V  1.6

We have two equations and two unknowns (V and x1). One of them is nonlinear and there are
multiple ways of solving them. One such example is
1  x1   0.2  0.00064 V

Therefore, 8  0.128   0.2  0.00064 V  V  0.2  0.00064 V

2

8  0.128   0.2  0.00064 V  V  0.2  0.00064 V

2

8  0.128   0.2  0.00064 V  V  0.2  0.00064 V

2

Solution: V is approximately 340 lit

Conversion at the exit of the first reactor is roughly 58.25 %

Incidentally, two reactors in series have a total volume of roughly 680 lit. They achieve the
same conversion as a single CSTR with 1250 lit volume. CSTR in series is a better option
than a single CSTR.(Provided it is isothermal operation and facilities needed for isothermal
operations are easy to maintain).

(c). Two reactors, possibly of volume V1 and V2, so that the conversion at the exit of the
reactor is 0.8, but the sum (V1+V2) is minimum.

Let V be the sum (V1+V2). Then the design equation is written as

FAin   rA 1 V1  FAout 1
FAout 1   rA 2 V  V1   FAout 2

This can be re arranged as

FAin   rA 1 V1  FAout 1
FAout 2  FAout 1
V  V1 
 rA 2

8  0.05  1.62  1  x1  V1  8  1  x1 
2

i.e. 1.6  8  1  x1 
V  V1 
0.05  0.322

8  8  1  x1 
V1 
0.05  1.62  1  x1 
2

i.e.
8  8  1  x1  1.6  8  1  x1 
V 
0.05  1.6  1  x1  0.05  0.322
2 2

8  8  1  x1 
Minimize V, by minimizing 0.05  3.22  V  4   102  1.6  8  1  x1  
1  x1 
2
 32 32
RHS    160  800  1  x1   . Substitute a dummy variable x2 = 1-x1
1  x1 
2
1  x1  
32 32
RHS    160  800 x2
x22 x2
Take derivative with x2 and we get 800  x23  32  x2  64  0

x2 = 0.4, which means x1 = 0.6.

V1 = 234.4 lit and V2 = 312.5 lit, and the total volume is about 547 lit.

Practically, industries would prefer two equal sized reactors, than two unequal sized reactors
with slightly lower total volume.