1.

0 SUMMARY

This experiment has two main objectives. First, to study the effect of pulse and step

change inputs on the residence time distribution(RTD) of reactor. Second, to compare the

performance of single CSTR and PFR. The flowrate of this experiment was always kept

constant at 150 mL/min. As the timer start, we start recording both inlet (QI-401) and outlet

conductivity values at regular intervals of 1 minute for both experiment A and experiment B.

We continue record the conductivity values until all readings are almost constant and

approach the stable low level values (30 minutes). The, the graph was plotted to show the

relationship between conductivity (mS/cm) and the concentration of NaCl. The result from

the graph shows that CSTR is the most effective reactor because it has the highest reaction

rate compare to PFR which has the least effective. Before conducting the experiment, make

sure the preparation solution of sodium chloride is measured correctly to avoid any error

occur during the experiment. This is to make sure that the reactor can run efficiently to collect

the data correctly.

2.0 DATA AND RESULTS

Reactor type = PFR

Flow rate = 150 mL/min
Input type = Pulse

Time Conductivity (mS/cm) Concentration (M)

(min) Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
0 0.22 0.11 0.001975 0.000985
1 0.24 0.11 0.002155 0.000985
2 0.27 0.12 0.002425 0.001076
3 0.23 0.11 0.002065 0.000985
4 0.18 0.11 0.001616 0.000985
5 0.18 0.11 0.001616 0.000985
6 0.22 0.11 0.001975 0.000985
7 0.15 0.11 0.001346 0.000985
8 0.19 0.11 0.001705 0.000985
9 0.16 0.11 0.001436 0.000985
10 0.15 0.11 0.001346 0.000985
11 0.17 0.13 0.001526 0.001165
12 0.15 0.26 0.001346 0.002335
13 0.15 0.87 0.001346 0.007821
14 0.15 2.86 0.001346 0.025718
15 0.14 5.39 0.001256 0.04847
16 0.15 5.64 0.001346 0.05072
17 0.15 5.10 0.001346 0.04586
18 0.14 2.76 0.001256 0.02481
19 0.14 1.54 0.001256 0.01385
20 0.15 0.66 0.001346 0.005932
21 0.14 0.38 0.001256 0.003414
22 0.15 0.25 0.001346 0.002245
23 0.14 0.20 0.001256 0.001795
24 0.15 0.17 0.001346 0.001525
25 0.14 0.15 0.001256 0.001346
26 0.14 0.14 0.001256 0.001256
27 0.14 0.13 0.001256 0.001165
28 0.14 0.13 0.001256 0.001165
29 0.14 0.13 0.001256 0.001165
 30 0.14 0.12 0.001256 0.001076

Reactor type = Single CSTR (Experiment A)

Flow rate = 150 mL/min
Input type = Pulse

Time Conductivity (mS/cm) Concentration (M)

(min) Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
Reactor type0 = Single 3.00
CSTR (Experiment 1.10B) 0.02698 0.00989
0.31
Flow rate 1 = 150 mL/min 1.06 0.002785 0.00953
0.24
Input type 2 = Step change 1.08 0.002155 0.00971
3 0.19 1.05 0.001705 0.00944
4
Time 0.19
Conductivity 1.00
(mS/cm) 0.001705 0.00899
Concentration (M)
5
(min) 0.17
Inlet 0.95
Outlet 0.001526
Inlet 0.00854
Outlet
60 0.16 0.90 0.001436 0.008091
11.5 0.30 0.1034 0.002695
7
1
0.16 0.85 0.001436 0.007641
10.72 1.33 0.0964 0.011958
8
2
0.15 0.81 0.001346 0.007281
10.53 1.83 0.0947 0.016455
9
3
0.14 0.76 0.001256 0.006832
10.44 2.35 0.0939 0.021132
10
4
0.15 0.72 0.001346 0.006472
10.40 2.80 0.0935 0.025179
11
5
0.14 0.68 0.001256 0.006112
10.38 3.21 0.0934 0.028866
12
6
0.14 0.65 0.001256 0.005843
10.36 3.59 0.0932 0.032284
13
7
0.14 0.61 0.001256 0.005483
10.35 3.93 0.0931 0.035341
14
8
0.14 0.58 0.001256 0.005213
10.35 4.28 0.0931 0.038389
15
9
0.15 0.55 0.001346 0.004943
10.34 4.56 0.0930 0.041007
16
10
0.14 0.53 0.001256 0.004763
10.34 4.85 0.0930 0.04352
17
11
0.14 0.50 0.001256 0.004493
10.34 5.10 0.0930 0.04586
18
12
0.14 0.48 0.001256 0.004314
10.33 5.37 0.0930 0.0483
19
13
0.14 0.45 0.001256 0.004044
10.32 5.64 0.0928 0.05072
20
14
0.14 0.43 0.001256 0.003864
10.33 5.90 0.0930 0.053059
21
15
0.14 0.41 0.001256 0.003684
10.32 6.13 0.0928 0.05513
22
16
0.14 0.40 0.001256 0.003594
10.33 6.34 0.0929 0.05702
23
17
0.14 0.39 0.001256 0.003504
10.32 6.55 0.0928 0.0589
24
18
0.14 0.37 0.001256 0.003324
10.32 6.76 0.0928 0.0608
25
19
0.14 0.35 0.001256 0.003144
10.32 6.96 0.0928 0.0626
26
20
0.14 0.34 0.001256 0.003055
10.32 7.13 0.0928 0.064121
27
21
0.14 0.33 0.001256 0.002965
10.31 7.30 0.0927 0.06565
28
22
0.14 0.32 0.001256 0.002875
10.32 7.45 0.0928 0.067
29
23
0.14 0.31 0.001256 0.002785
10.32 7.61 0.0928 0.068
30 0.14 0.30 0.001256 0.002695
 24 10.32 7.75 0.0928 0.0697
25 10.31 7.88 0.0927 0.0709
26 10.31 8.00 0.0927 0.07195
27 10.32 8.13 0.0928 0.07312
28 10.32 8.22 0.0928 0.0739
29 10.32 8.33 0.0928 0.0749
30 10.31 8.45 0.0927 0.07599

Experiment A

Pulse Input Plug Flow Reactor

Area under the Graph = 0.365198 M.min

RTD = 0.002946 min-1 = 339.44 min

Pulse Input Single Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

Area under the Graph = 0.166275 M.min
RTD = 0.016208 min-1 = 61.6978 min

Experiment B

Step Change Single Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

RTD = 27.1978 min

Calibration Curve of NaCl
 Concentration of NaCI (M) vs Conductivity (ms/cm)
0.06

0.05
f(x) = 0.01x - 0
R² = 1
0.04

Concentration (M) 0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Conductivity (ms/cm)

3.0 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

The objectives the reactor test rig experiment which is to study the effect of pulse and
step change input on the residence time distribution (RTD) of reactor and to compare the
performance of single stage CSTR, and PFR.

For the Experiment A, effect of pulse input in a reactor, 2 types of reactor were used to
determine the residence time distribution. The reactors involved are PFR and CSTR. Based
on the result, the RTD for PFR and single stage CSTR are 339.44 minutes and 61.6978
minutes respectively. For PFR graph of outlet concentration against time, the line shows the
value of the outlet concentration is constant at the starting point, and increase during 12 to 16
minutes because the conductivity is increasing during that time and the continue to decrease
as the outlet conductivity was decreased. Based on the graph during the beginning of the
injection, the reading of the concentration is approximately the same because the conductivity
of the water is still low, then its suddenly rise in concentration because the salt solution is
flowing and then continue to decrease in concentration after that.

For CSTR graph of outlet concentration against time, the line shows the value of the
outlet concentration is decreasing as the outlet conductivity was decreased. The reason why
the outlet conductivity was decreasing per minutes because the pulse input means only inject
in one shot into the feed stream entering the reactor in as short time as possible with flow at a
steady state. Therefore, the initial outlet conductivity will have smaller values per each
minutes of time. the amount of time a fluid element could spend inside the reactor. To
compare these types of reactor are based on their RTD. PFR has larger RTD value than single
stage CSTR which indicates that by using CSTR reactor, the amount of time a fluid element
could spend inside the reactor is shorter. therefore, the product can be obtained at shorter
amount of time with the same flow rate.

The RTD difference for both reactor can be explained by their process of mixing. For
PFR, the reactants are continually consumed as they flow down the length of the reactor
while for the single CSTR, the inlet is stored completely and then instantly mixed inside the
reactor before it achieve as a product. That is why the RTD of CSTR is lower than PFR.

For the next method is step change input which only being apply one type of reactor
during the experiment, single stages CSTR. There is some change in method where the
concentration of the tracer (NaCl) in the feed to the reactor is kept at this level until the
concentration in the outlet is indistinguishable from that in the feed. Based from the graph of
outlet concentration against time, the concentration is increasing per minute. As the
concentration increase, the conductivity also increased. For the experiment B, the single
stages CSTR show a RTD values of 27.1978 minutes which is the time of the substance spent
inside the reactor. Based on the theory, the concentration of tracer in the feed to the reactor is
kept at this constant level until the concentration in the effluent is indistinguishable from that
in the feed and the outlet concentration will be the same as from that in the feed, but from the
result obtained, the outlet concentration is a little bit higher than the concentration at the feed.
This might because of the reactor was not properly cleaned after being use before, thus some
of substance is still remain in there and it may disturb the result of the experiment.

Based on the comparisons between PFR and single CSTR for pulse input method, it
been noticed that the single stage CSTR is much better performance than PFR because the
RTD of single stage CSTR is lower than PFR. Therefore, more product can be produce at
short time with same volume flowrate.
6.0 REFERENCES

1. Missen, Ronald W., Charles A. Mims, and Bradley A. Saville. Introduction to

chemical reaction engineering and kinetics. J. Wiley,, 1999.
2. Mann, Uzi. "Plug‐Flow Reactor." Principles of Chemical Reactor Analysis and
Design: New Tools for Industrial Chemical Reactor Operations, Second
Edition (2008): 239-316.
3. Renken, A. "The use of periodic operation to improve the performance of continuous
stirred tank reactors." Chemical Engineering Science 27.11 (1972): 1925-1932.
4. Penry, Deborah L., and Peter A. Jumars. "Chemical reactor analysis and optimal
digestion." Bioscience 36.5 (1986): 310-315.
5. Curl, R. L. "Dispersed phase mixing: I. Theory and effects in simple reactors."AIChE
journal 9.2 (1963): 175-181
4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The objective of this experiment are to study the effect of pulse and step change
inputs on the residence time distribution (RTD) of reactor, and to compare the performance of
single CSTR and PFR. After conducting this experiment, we have obtained the result of the
RTD for PFR and CSTR which are 399.44 minutes and 61.6978 minutes respectively. By
comparing for the both reactor PFR and single CSTR based on RTD, PFR has larger value of
RTD compare to single CSTR. This proved that by using CSTR reactor, the time spent of
material inside the reactor is shorter. Therefore, we can obtained more product at shorter time
even with the same flow rate. From the explanation above, this shows that the performance of
CSTR reactor is much better compare to PFR. Next is for the step change input for single
CSTR reactor, the RTD value is 27.1978 minutes. Form the graph plotted for outlet
concentration (M) against time (minutes) shows that the value is increasing per minutes.
Therefore, As the concentration increase, the conductivity is also increase. There are several
step must be taken before conducting the experiment and while conducting the experiment to
obtain more accurate result without any error. The reactor should be cleaned properly and
calibrate to avoid error such as random error. The measuring apparatus also should be
calibrate first to avoid any error. While preparing the solution of sodium chloride, eyes must
be perpendicular to the scale reading when measuring the solution with the apparatus to avoid
miscalculation of reading. Student is compulsory to wear proper personal protective
equipment to prevent any accident occur during the experiment. All apparatus must be wash
and cleaned before use to avoid any disruption of result. While record the data, the flowrate
must be keep constant at 150 mL/min and the time taken must be taken seriously by mean
that you should take the reading every minute to obtain better result and data

5.1 TUTORIAL

1. Explain the effect of mixing (RTD) on different configuration of reactor: Single

CSTR, 3-stages CSTR and Tubular (PFR) reactor.

In this experiment, it only involve two type of reactor which is single stage CSTR and
PFR. Single stage CSTR involve instantly mix process into the bulk of the reactor
while PFR does not involve axial mixing and the fluid element leave in the same
order they arrived.Therefore, it is observed that the RTD of the PFR and single stage
CSTR is 399.44 min and 61.6978 min respectively. Thus, it shown that mixing can
lower RTD value.

2. What are the differences between steps & pulse input?

In a pulse input, an amount of tracer No is suddenly injected in one shot into the feed
stream entering the reactor in at short time as possible. For the steps input, a constant
rate of tracer is added to feed and the concentration of the tracer in the feed to the
reactor is keep at constant level until the concentration in the effluent is
indistinguishable from that in the feed.
 3. Based on you observation, which reactors shows the best RTD functions? Why?
Based on the result, single stage CSTR is the RTD functions because it has lower
RTD value than PFR. It can be proved by calculating the Area under the Graph in data
and result. From the RTD value, it is shown that material leaving the reactor faster in
CSTR than in PFR

7.0 APPENDICES