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Chemical Reactors and Reactor Sizing: Lecturer: Dr. Ayoola A.A

1. Chemical reactors are equipment used to carry out chemical reactions and produce desired products. They control reactions safely and maximize efficiency. 2. Reactors are classified as batch, steady state flow, or unsteady state flow. Batch reactors process materials in unsteady state with uniform composition. Steady state flow reactors include plug flow and continuous stirred tank reactors, processing materials continuously. 3. Plug flow reactors feature orderly laminar flow with no mixing between elements. Continuous stirred tank reactors are well-mixed and have the same composition throughout and outlet. Unsteady state flow reactors have non-equal feed and product rates, resulting in accumulation.

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57 views14 pages

Chemical Reactors and Reactor Sizing: Lecturer: Dr. Ayoola A.A

1. Chemical reactors are equipment used to carry out chemical reactions and produce desired products. They control reactions safely and maximize efficiency. 2. Reactors are classified as batch, steady state flow, or unsteady state flow. Batch reactors process materials in unsteady state with uniform composition. Steady state flow reactors include plug flow and continuous stirred tank reactors, processing materials continuously. 3. Plug flow reactors feature orderly laminar flow with no mixing between elements. Continuous stirred tank reactors are well-mixed and have the same composition throughout and outlet. Unsteady state flow reactors have non-equal feed and product rates, resulting in accumulation.

Uploaded by

Chuka Omene
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CHE326: Chemical Reaction Engineering

3 Units
[2020/2021 Session]

MODULE 3:
CHEMICAL REACTORS
AND REACTOR SIZING

Lecturer: Dr. Ayoola A.A.


MODULE 3 (LECTURE 1):
CHEMICAL REACTORS
INTRODUCTION

WHAT ARE REACTORS?


• Reactors are equipment for holding the content of reactions
(reactants) while they react and in which empirical information
can be obtained.
• Reactors are equipment used to carry out a chemical reaction.
• Reactors are the containers required for the production of the
desire product through chemical reaction.
INTRODUCTION

WHY USING REACTOR?


---- to convert materials to other useful materials
---- to control/conduct reaction in a safe manner
---- to maximise efficiency of a reaction process
INTRODUCTION

CLASSIFICATION OF REACTOR?
Reactors are generally classified into three
1. BATCH REACTOR
2. STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR
3. UNSTEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR
1. BATCH REACTOR

----It is usually used for small scale experimental studies.


----It is usually used industrially when small amount of
products are needed.
----it is used for testing new process/conditions.
1. BATCH REACTOR
In the batch reactor,
-------- the reactants are initially charged into a container,
-------- then well-mixed,
-------- and are left to react for a certain period of time,
-------- the resultant mixture (product) is then discharged.

This is an unsteady state operation where there is accumulation.


At any instant, the composition throughout the reactor is UNIFORM.
2. STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR

This is sub – divided into two basic types

A.----- Plug Flow Reactor


or Ideal Tubular Reactor

B.----- Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor


or Mixed Reactor
or Ideal Stirred Tank Reactor
STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR

A. Plug Flow Reactor


----- the pattern of flow is characterised by the fact that the flow of
fluid through the reactor is orderly with no element of fluid overtaking
and no mixing of element with any other element ahead or behind it.

----- conversion takes place along the length of the reactor

----- there may be lateral mixing of fluid in the reactor, but no mixing
or diffusion along the flow path. Hence, residence time in the reactor is
the same for all elements of fluid
STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR

A. Plug Flow Reactor (PFR)


STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR

B. Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)


----- is a reactor in which the contents are well-mixed and
uniform throughout.

----- the exist stream from the CSTR reactor has same
composition as the fluid within the reactor.

----- CSTR are used mainly for industrial purposes when large
quantities of materials are to be processed and when the rate of
reaction is fairly high
STEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR
B. Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)

CSTR are used mainly for industrial purposes when large quantities of
materials are to be processed and when the rate of reaction is fairly high
3. UNSTEADY STATE FLOW REACTOR
These reactors are often called Semi Batch Reactors
----- they are similar to the steady state flow reactor,
except that the rate at which the reactants are being fed is
not the same as the rate at which the product is withdrawn.
Hence, there will be accumulation.

…………. i.e there is reflecting accumulation


Assignment 1

1. Mention six importance of chemical reactors in industry.


2. What are the main classes of chemical reactors? Mention two
peculiar features of each of the classes of reactors.
3. Explain steady state process. Mention one industrial application
of steady state process.
4. What is accumulation? Mention one industrial application of
accumulation.
5. Mention ten processes that require the use of reactors

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