DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF

PLUG FLOW REACTOR

BY:
19F-CH-86 ( SAMEER AHMED)
19F-CH-30 (IMAM DIN) INSTRUCTOR: MISS AZKA
INTRODUCTION:
The plug flow reactor (PFR, sometimes called
continuous tubular reactor, CTR) is a tubular
reactor where the feed is continuously
introduced at one end and the products
continuously removed from the other end.
The concentration / temperature in the
reactor is not uniform.
APPLICATIONS:
Common industrial uses of tubular reactors
are in gasoline production, oil cracking,
synthesis of ammonia from its elements,
and the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur
trioxide.
ADVANTAGES:
 HIGH CONVERSION

GOOD HEAT TRANSFER DURING PROCESS

CONTINUOUS PROCESSING

ECONOMICAL
DISADVANTAGES:
 POOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL

SHUTDOWN AND CLEANING IS EXPENSIVE

DESIGN CALCULATIONS
MATERIAL: PVC PIPE
DIA: 1 Inch = 2.54 cm
TOTAL VOLUME = 155 ml
NUMBER OF INLETS = 1
NUMBER OF OUTLET = 1
WORKING TEMPERATURE = UPTO 40 C
FABRICATION VIDEO:
CALCULATIONS:
The elementary, liquid-phase, irreversible reaction
A+B C
is to be carried out in a flow reactor. A 0.155  PFR that can only be
operated at 300k ( 27 degree centigrade) . The two feed streams to the
reactor mix to form a single feed stream that is equal molar in A and B, with
a total volumetric flow rate of 10 dm3/min. What is the conversion?

Additional Information:
at 300 K, k = 0.07 dm3/mol-min
E = 85000 J/mol-K
CA0B = CB0B = 1 mole/dm 3
vA0 = vB0 = 0.5*v0 = 5 dm3/min
CONT….
Independent Variable: V, FA0, T

Dependent Variable: X

Known: k0, E, V, n0, CA0B, CB0B

Unknowns: X
Assumptions:
1. Isothermal

2. no pressure drop

3. There are no radial variations in the PFR

CONT….
MOLAR BALANCE:

RATE LAW:

STOITIOMETRY – LIQUID , v = vo; EQUAL MOLAR:

CA = CA0(1-X)
CB = CA0(1-X)
CONT….

Evaluate
      v A0 = 5 dm3/min
Before mixing
      CA0B = 2 mol/dm3
      FA0 = CA0B* vA0
      FA0 = (5 dm3/min)(2 mol/dm3) = 10 mol/min
After mixing
      v0 = vA0 + vB0 = 5 dm3/min + 5 dm3/min = 10 dm3/min
     CA0 = 1 mol/dm3
     
CONT….
THANK YOU