Chapter 11: Nonisothermal Reactor Design: The Steady State Energy Balance and Adiabatic PFR Applications

Adiabatic Liquid Phase in A CSTR

Second Order Reaction Carried Out Adiabatically in a CSTR

The acid-catalyzed irreversible liquid-phase reaction A->B is carried out adiabatically in a CSTR.

Schematic of a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR). A reactant stream labeled A flows vertically downward from a source labeled S into the reactor. The inlet conditions are given as v_0 = 10 dm^3/min and C_A0 = 4 mol/dm^3. The cylindrical reactor has an outlet stream shown exiting from the side.
 
Chapter 11 Figure: DVD E11-2

The reaction is second order in A. The feed, which is equimolar in a solvent (which contains the catalyst) and A, enters the reactor at a total volumetric flow rate of 10 dm 3 /min with the concentration of A being 4M. The entering temperature is 300 K.

(a) What CSTR reactor volume is necessary to achieve 80% conversion?

(b) What conversion can be achieved in a 1000 dm 3 CSTR? What is the new exit temperature?

(c) How would your answers to part (b) change, if the entering temperature of the feed were 280 K?

Additional Information:

\( \Delta H_{Rx} (300 \, \text{K}) = -3300 \, \text{cal/mol} \cdot \text{°C} \)
\( C_{PA} = 15 \, \text{cal/mol} \cdot \text{°C} \)
\( C_{PB} = 15 \, \text{cal/mol} \cdot \text{°C} \)
\( C_{PS} = 18 \, \text{cal/mol} \cdot \text{°C} \)
\( k(300 \, \text{K}) = 0.0005 \, \text{dm}^3 / \text{mol} \cdot \text{min} \)
\( E = 15,000 \, \text{cal/mol} \)

Solution