Soran university

Faculty of engineering
Chemical engineering department

Non isothermal reactors

Ali Muhammad qader

Supervised by: DR. arkan jasim hadi

Fourth stage

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Introduction:
The chemical reactions depend on temperature, either absorbing (endothermic) or generating
(exothermic) a large amount of heat. Industrial reactors often operate under the non-
isothermal conditions. The design of the non-isothermal reactors involves the simultaneous
solution of both mass and energy balances.
By definition, isothermal means to have a constant temperature. Being nonisothermal flow refers
to fluid flows with temperatures that are not constant. When a fluid is subjected to a temperature
change, its material properties, such as density and viscosity, change accordingly.

We have steady state and unsteady state nonisothermal reactor;

The exothermic reactions relationships are showcased below in an adiabatic process:

We have three types of reactor;

1. Batch reactor
2. CSTR reactor
3. PFR reactor

The reactor design equation can be summarized into;

𝑑𝑥 −𝑟 𝑉
For batch reactor : = 𝑁𝐴
𝑑𝑡 𝐴𝑜

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 𝐹𝐴𝑜 𝑋 𝑑𝑥 −𝑟𝐴
CSTR; V = PFR: =
−𝑟𝐴 𝑑𝑣 𝐹𝐴𝑜

For steady state;

energy balance conversion factor:

1. If we consider an adiabatic energy balance (Q=0) and no work done (Ws=0)

The graph above showcase the relationship between the energy balance conversion factor and
temperature:

 CSTR with a heat exchanger: UA(T-Ta) and a large coolant flow rate (Ws=0 and
∆Cp=0)

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Above is CSTR with a heat exchange;
Steady state energy balance;
From the book;

Using the mole balance 𝐹𝐴𝑜 𝑋=−𝑟𝐴 𝑋 and neglecting delta 𝐶𝑝

Rearranged the energy balance

Instead the Q and calculate it;

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CSTR together in series and relationship between conversion and temperature.

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  PFR with heat exchange:

1. PFR in terms of conversion:

the figure below showcases the relationship between time constant and
temperature:
PFR cooled from the wall t.

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Using a PFR as an example for the system to help us establish equations that are
required to solve the problems:
Mole balance;
𝑑𝑥 −𝑟𝐴
=
𝑑𝑉 𝐹 𝐴𝑜

Rate law;
-−𝑟𝐴 = K 𝐶𝐴

Stoichiometric;
𝐶𝐴=𝐶𝐴𝑜(1−𝑋)
Using Arrhenius equation:

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After rearranged all we combine:

Assuming our reaction is an adiabatic one we can conclude the CPA& CPB are equal and a
constant heat reaction ∆𝐻°𝑅𝑋the temperature conversion relationship can be written as:

Unsteady state non isothermal:

Concentrating on evaluating the change in the total energy of the system with
respect to time:

Neglecting changes in potential and kinetic energies and using internal energy Ui,
in terms of enthalpy Hi

When no spatial variations are present in the system volume, and time variations in
the product of the total pressure and volume (PV) are neglected, the energy balance
becomes:

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To find the temperature at an unsteady state:

Energy balance on batch reactor;

Using heat exchanger to obtain Q. the heat “added” to the batch reactor,is just
minus the heat “removed” from the batch reactor, 𝑄𝑟𝑏 , i.e., Q=-𝑄𝑟𝑏 . Neglecting
shaft work

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 2. Energy Balance on a CSTR

Assuming a case where coolant temperature varies along the length of the
exchanger while the temperature in the reactor is spatially uniform, we conclude

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Energy balance becomes;

The heat removed from the reactor is

3. Energy balance of multiple reactions in a Batch or CSTR:

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Reference;

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+relationship+between+time+constant+and
+temperature%3A&oq=&aqs=chrome.1.69i59i450l8.16221493j0j7&sourceid=chr
ome&ie=UTF-8
http://umich.edu/~elements/course/lectures/nine/index.htm
https://www.google.com/search?q=non+isothermal+reactor+steady+and+unsteady
+state&oq=non+isothermal+reactors+steady+and+unsteady+state&aqs=chrome.1.
69i57j33i22i29i30.25022j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
https://www.google.com/search?ei=VKpAYJePJvGSwPAPvPK-
kAo&q=PFR+in+terms+of+conversion&oq=PFR+in+terms+of+conversion&gs_lc
p=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EANQgOeLBFjG64wEYPuUjQRoAnACeACAAcIBiAHCAZI
BAzAuMZgBJaABAaoBB2d3cy13aXqwAQDAAQE&sclient=gws-
wiz&ved=0ahUKEwiXiae4q5bvAhVxCRAIHTy5D6IQ4dUDCA0&uact=5

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