Evaluation of

Laboratory Reactors

SHIVANI
ME-CHE
2018
CRITERIA USED TO EVALUATE LABORATORY
REACTORS
• Ease of sampling and product analysis
• Degree of isothermally
• Effectiveness of contact between catalyst and reactant
• Handling of catalyst decay
• Reactor cost and ease of construction
Integral (Fixed-Bed) Reactor

• One advantage of the integral reactor is its ease to

construction
• On the other hand, while channeling or bypassing of some of
• the catalyst by the reactant stream may not be as fatal to data
interpretation in the case of this reactor as in that of the
differential reactor, it may still be a problem.

Integral reactor
Stirred Batch Reactor
• In the stirred batch reactor the catalyst is dispersed as a slurry,
as shown in Fig
• Although there will be better contacting between the catalyst
• and the fluid in this reactor than either the differential or
integral reactors
Stirred Contained Solids Reactor (SCSR)

• Although there are a number of designs for contained solids reactors, all
• are essentially equivalent in terms of performance:. A typical design is
shown
• in Figure :
• It is used for Minimizing external mass transfer
Continuous-Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)
• The CSTR reactor is used when there is significantly catalyst decay.
• Fresh catalyst is fed to the reactor along with the fluid feed, and the
catalyst leaves the reactor in the product stream at the same rate at
which it is fed, to offset catalyst decay with time.
• One of the best reactors for isothermal operation
Straight-Through Transport Reactor
• Commercially, the transport reactor is used widely in the production of
gasoline from heavier petroleum fractions.
• In addition, it has found use in the drying of grains.
• In this reactor, either an inert gas or the reactant itself transports the catalyst
through the reactor.
• It is best for catalyst decay
Recirculating Transport Reactor

By recirculating the gas and catalyst through the transport

reactor, one can achieve a well-mixed condition provided that the
recirculation rate is large with respect to the feed rate.
Summary
• The CSTR and recirculating transport reactor appear to be the
best choices because they are satisfactory in every category
except for construction.
• However, if the catalyst under study does not decay, the stirred
batch and contained solids reactors appear to be the best
choices.
• If the system is not limited by internal diffusion in the catalyst
pellet, larger pellets could be used and the stirred-contained
solids is the best choice.
• If the catalyst is non decaying and heat effects are negligible,
the fixed-bed (integral) reactor would be the top choice, owing
to its ease of construction and operation.
THANK YOU