Solutions to CN2116-JYL-2020-HW4

1)

Given: Constant density 1st order reaction, N equal-size CSTRs and xAf = xAN, the
following equations from the notes may be used:

c0 N1
N [( )  1] 
1

N cN N [1  (1  x Af ) N ]
 
p ln
c0 ln(1  x Af )
cN
1 c0 1
 p  ln   ln(1  x Af )
k cN k
N 1 c 1 1 1
  [( 0 ) N  1]  [(1  x Af )  N  1]
N k cN k
c0  c1 c 1
   0  1  k  x1  1 
kc1 c1 1  k
c1  c2 c0 1
   (1  k ) 2  x1  1 
kc2 c2 (1  k ) 2

ci 1  ci c0 1
   (1  k )i  xi  1 
kci ci (1  k )i

2)

The conversion will be kept the same as there is no incentive to produce a purer product.

If the 2 CSTRs are connected in parallel, the throughout will be doubled

If the 2 CSTRs are connected in series, from Fig 6.5 (OL),

Using N  1 and 1  x A  0.1 ,  k 1  8 [exact k 1  9 ]

Using N  2 and1  x A  0.1 ,  k 2  4 [exact k 2  4.32 ]

kV 2kV
Since k 1  , k 2 
v01 v 02

v02 2k 1
   2 8  4
v01 k 2 4

i.e. the throughput will be approximately quadrupled  the series connection is preferred.

1
3)

The PFRs in series is equivalent to a 4 l PFR.

N
The single 4 l CSTR is equivalent to ~ 1 l PFR (Fig 6.5, 1  xA  0.1, N  1 → ~ 3.9 )
p
V1 V23 45 v V1 1
Hence  or 01  
v01 v02 v02 V23 45 4

(Alternative solution)

x A  0.9
 k p 4
xA  1  e , where p 
v 02
xA 4
k m  , where m 
1  xA v01

4)

With cB 0  c A0 initially, the reaction is pseudo-1st order R  kc AcB  kc AcB 0  k ' c A ,

where k '  kcB 0 and OL Fig 6.5 may be used for determining k '
k ' 3
Fig 6.5: using N  3, 1  x A  0.05  k ' 3  5 or k 3   0.5
cB 0
In the second case when c A0  cB 0 , from reaction stoichiometry c A  cB and
R  kc AcB  kcA2 . OL Fig 6.6 may be used. Here kc A0 3  k 3  0.5

Figure 6.6: Using N  3, kc A0 3  0.5  1  x A  0.67 or x A  0.33

2
5)

 rA  c AcR  c A0 (1  x A )c A0 x A  c A2 0 (1  x A ) x A

For cA0=1,  rA  (1  x A ) x A

Plot of -1/rA vs xA yields

24

22

20

18

16

14
-1/rA

12

10

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

xA

(Graphical solution)

PFR or CSTR is out of the question since the autocatalytic reaction exhibits both positive
order and negative order reaction characteristics.

Using a recycle PFR with the optimal recycle ratio (R=0.43, xAi=0.27), R = 4.6 h

Using a leading CSTR operating at the point of maximum rate, followed by a PFR gives
m = 0.5*4 =2 + p = 2.2 = 4.2 h.

The 2nd configuration is clearly superior.

3
(Analytical solution)

 rA  c AcR  c A2 0 (1  x A ) x A  (1  x A ) x A , (c A0  1)
R
x Ai  x Af
R 1
R  1  Rx Af
1  x Ai 
R 1
x
x Af  x Ai  Af
R 1
x Af dx x Af dx x Af dx x Af dx xAf (1  x ) R  1  RxAf
xAi rAA xAi (1  xAA) xA xAi xAA  xAi 1  xAA  ln[ xAi (1  xAAif ) ]  ln R(1  xAf )
x Af dx A x Af dx A R  1  Rx Af
 R  ( R  1)cA0  x Ai rA
 ( R  1) 
x Ai x (1  x )
A A
( R  1) ln
R (1  x Af )
1 1 x Af dx A R  1 R  1  Rx Af

rA x Af  x Ai x Ai rA

x Af
ln
R(1  x Af )
1 1 ( R  1) 2
 
rAi x Ai (1  x Ai ) Rx Af ( R  1  Rx Af )

1 1 ( R  1) 2 R  1 R  1  Rx Af
R is optimal R if  i.e.  ln
rAi rA Rx Af ( R  1  Rx Af ) x Af R(1  x Af )
R 1 R  1  Rx Af
or  ln (2)
R( R  1  Rx Af ) R(1  x Af )
0.1R  1 R 1
Substituting xAf  0.9 and solving for R in ln   0 gives R = 0.43
0.1R R(1  0.1R)
R  1  RxAf
 R  ( R  1) ln  4.56 h
R(1  xAf )
A CSTR operating from xAi=0 to xAf=0.5 would have a space time of

c A0 ( xAf  xAi ) ( xAf  x Ai )

0.5
m   2 h 
rAf (1  xAf ) xAf 0.5  0.5
A PFR operating from xAi=0.5 to xAf=0.9 would have a space time of

x Af dxA x (1  x Ai ) 0.9  (1  0.5)

p    ln[ Af ]  ln  2.2 h
x Ai (1  xA ) xA xAi (1  x Af ) 0.5  (1  0.9)

Collectively they are smaller than the recycle reactor with the optimal recycle ratio.