Batch Reactors

Batch Reactors Batch processes are suggested for

production rates of less than 1,000,000 lb per year and or
products that are seasonal, have short lifetimes in the
market or very low reaction rates or multi-product plants. In
a batch reactor rates are less important, the time required to
complete an operation is usually all you need. Partly for this
reason the kinetics of fine chemical and pharmaceutical
processes are rarely known. Batch reactors are the most
versatile reactors, they can be used for almost anything.
Other benfits are even if recycles are used it is usually
stored in a holding tank so inert buildups are more easily
taken care of after the reaction is over. Batch processes are
more likely used for comlplex organic molecules, this
sometimes makes safety an issue in the form of runaway
reactions because the molecules may be less themally
stable. Batch reactors are not time efficient, the reactor
works on 'triggers' like when the reactor is full it triggers the
heat or cooling required for the reaction stage. The only
time dependent part of the batch reactor is the reaction time,
and that is determined by the engineer for its most cost
efficient product vs time.

Batch Derivation
General Mole Balance on System Volume V
 No inflow or outflow-
Assumptions
Well mixed

The design equations for a batch process are as

follows:

An example procedure follows :

A 200-dm3 constant-volume batch reactor is
pressurized to 20 atm with a mixture of 75% A
and 25% inert. The gas-phase reaction is carried
out isothermally at 227 C.

V = 200-dm3
P = 20 atm
T = 227 C

a. Assuming that the ideal gas law is valid,

how many moles of A are in the reactor
initially? What is the initial concentration
of A?

b. If the reaction is first order:

Calculate the time necessary to consume

99% of A.

c. If the reaction is second order:

 Calculate the time to consume 80% of A.
Also calculate the pressure in the reactor
at this time if the temperature is 127 C.

Answer:

• How many moles of A are in the reactor initially? What is the initial
concentration of A?
If we assume ideal gas behavior, then calculating the moles of A initially
present in the reactor is quite simple. We insert our variables into the
ideal gas equation:

Knowing the mole fraction of A (yAo) is 75%, we multiply the total

number of moles (NTo) by the yA:

The initial concentration of A (CAo) is just the moles of A divided by the

volume:

• Time (t) for a 1st order reaction to consume 99% of A.

With both 1st and 2nd order reactions, we will begin with the mole
balance:
There is no flow in or out of our system, and we will assume that there is
no spatial variation in the reaction rate. We are left with:

Knowing the moles per volume (NA/V) is concentration (CA), we then

define the reaction rate as a function of concentration:

First Order Reaction

This is the point where the solutions for the different reaction orders
diverge.
Our first order rate law is:

We insert this relation into our mole balance:

 and integrate:

Knowing CA=0.01 CAo and our rate constant (k=0.1 min -1), we can solve
for the time of the reaction:

• Time for 2nd order reaction to consume 80% of A and final pressure
(P) at T = 127 C.
Second Order Reaction
Our second order rate law is:

We insert this relation into our mole balance:

and integrate:
We can solve for the time in terms of our rate constant (k = 0.7) and our
initial concentration (CAo):

To determine the pressure of the reactor following this reaction, we will

again use the ideal gas law. First, we determine the number of moles in
the reactor:

Now, we calculate the new pressure using the ideal gas law: