CN2105 Reaction Engineering

2022-23 Semester 2 – Assignment 4

Homework
1. A pharmaceutical company is considering a process change from batch manufacturing to
continuous manufacturing using mostly existing resources (i.e., no new reactor will be
purchased). As the lead process engineer, you are required to carry out a feasibility study
and advise the management for a go/no-go decision. These are the salient process details:
The production process is based on a first order liquid phase reaction which is carried out
to 95% completion. Presently, this is done in a large 100 L batch reactor. The time to
achieve 95% conversion in this reactor is 20 h. 4 h of turnaround is however needed in
between the batches. Feed from the supplier is available at a concentration of 1 mol/L.
Hint: Since no new reactor will be purchased, one can only change the batch reactor to a
CSTR to achieve continuous production. Then compare the productivity between batch
and CSTR using the design equation.
Ans: not advisable

2. [OL 6.3] An aqueous stream containing 4 mol/L of reactant A passes through a CSTR
followed by a PFR. The reaction is second order with respect to A and the volume of the
PFR is three times that of the CSTR. Find the concentration at the exit of the PFR if the
concentration of A in the CSTR is 1 mol/L.
Ans: 0.1 mol/L

3. The following network of reactors is used to process a first order reaction A → R to 90%
completion. In this network, R1 is a 4 L CSTR while R2, R3, R4 and R5 are 1 L PFRs.
How would you balance the flows (v01 and v02) through the two arms of the network to
support the same concentration exiting R1, R4 and R5?
Hint: Simplify the reactor network before further analysis.
𝑣
Ans: 𝑣02 = 3.9
01

4. The first order reaction A → products (k = 1 s−1) is conducted using two CSTRs connected
in series with a feed of cA0 = 1 mol/L. The target conversion is 90%.

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 (a) If the two CSTRs have the same size, calculate the total space time of the reactors.
(b) If the two CSTRs may have different sizes, obtain the minimum total space time of the
reactors and the corresponding intermediate conversion, accurate to the nearest %. Use
the ReactorDesign App to solve this problem. Some trial-and-error is required. In
your submission, include screenshot(s) of the solution process using the App.
(c) Comment on your answers to (a) and (b).
Ans: 𝑎) 4.32 s; b) 4.33 s

5. The autocatalytic reaction A + R → 2R with the rate law rA = −kcAcR (k = 1 mol−1 L h−1) is
run with a feed of cA0 = 1 mol/L. There is a small amount of R in the feed to initiate the
autocatalytic reaction but its amount is small enough for its presence in the feed to be
disregarded. The target conversion of A from the reactor is 90%. What is the best reactor
system (PFR, CSTR, recycle reactor or a combination of CSTR and PFR) to run this
reaction? Use the ReactorDesign App to solve the problem. In your submission, attach
the screen shot of the solution process using this APP.
Ans: a combination of CSTR and PFR is the best since it provides the smallest space time.

Extra Practice
6. Three equal-size CSTRs connected in series are used for the liquid phase reaction A + B ?
R where the rate law is R = kcAcB. The conversion of A is 95% using a feed of cA0 = 1
mol/L and cB0 = 10 mol/L. If the three reactors are now run with a feed of a different
composition (cA0 = 1 mol/L, cB0 = 1 mol/L) while keeping everything else unchanged,
what is the conversion of A? Use a graphical method to solve the problem.
Hint: In the original case, the reaction may be regarded as a pseudo-first order reaction. In
the modified case using the new composition, it may be regarded as an overall second order
reaction.
Ans: 0.33

7. Describe how you will design N equal-size CSTRs in series for a constant density first order
reaction without the use of a design chart. Given the number of reactors (N), the feed
composition (c0) and the conversion leaving the last reactor (xN), write down clearly the
𝜏𝑁 CSTR 𝑘𝜏𝑁 CSTR
equations used to obtain the ratio, the space time for each CSTR ( ) and the
𝜏PFR 𝑁
intermediate conversions (x1, x2, ..., xN−1).

8. Pure A at a volumetric flow rate of 1 m3/h and a concentration of 5 × 10−3 mol/m3 is fed to
a 1.2 m3 CSTR. What is the conversion of A that is achievable with this reactor? The figure
below shows the reciprocal rate as a function of the conversion of pure A under the
prevailing reaction conditions.

2
 −

Ans: ~0.6

9. With the help of the figure for first order reactions on Unit 4 Slide 22 or otherwise, perform
the following calculations:
(a) At a conversion of 90%, calculate the volume of PFR required if the corresponding
volume of CSTR required is 1 L.
(b) If the CSTR in (a) is replaced by two equal-size CSTRs in series while keeping the
overall conversion unchanged, what will be the volume of each reactor? If there any
advantage in doing so?
(c) Find the intermediate conversion in the CSTR cascade in (b).
(d) How does the arrangement in (b) perform relative to equal-size CSTRs in parallel?
(e) If the PFR in (a) is replaced by two equal-size PFRs, what will be their respective
volume and the intermediate conversion?
Ans: (a) 0.256 L (b) 0.243 L (c) 0.66 (e) 0.128 L, 0.66

10. Four 2 L PFRs operating at constant temperature and pressure are connected according to
the network shown below. If reactor R4 is shut down for maintenance, how should you
adjust the space times of the remaining reactors (i.e. increase or decrease, and by what
percentages) so that the product quality is not compromised?

Ans: Increase τR1 by 33%, decrease τR2 and τR3 by 11%

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11. The reciprocal rate curve for a reaction of interest under the actual operating conditions is
given below. Design a single reactor system with the smallest reactor volume for the
conversion of A from xA = 0.1 to 0.9.

12. The second order gas phase reaction A → 2R is to be carried out in a batch reactor to 95%
conversion of a feed of pure A. As a process engineer, would you recommend constant
pressure or constant volume operation and what reactor characteristic time (kcA0t) would it
be?
Ans: 19

13. The overall second order (first order with respect to each reactant) liquid phase reaction A
+ B → R + S takes place in a PFR using equal molar quantities of A and B. Conversion is
96% with cA0 = cB0 = 1 mol/L. If a CSTR 10 times as large as the PFR is hooked up in
series with the existing unit, which unit should come first and in what way is the present
production being improved by the addition?

14. [Quiz 1 2007] Using either the design chart for first order reactions on Unit 4 Slide 22 or
otherwise, determine the approximate percentage increase in conversion when a third
CSTR is added to two CSTRs connected in series currently running a first order reaction to
80% completion.
Ans: 13.8%

15. [OL 6.15] The kinetics of the aqueous phase decomposition of A is investigated in two
CSTRs in series, with the second reactor having twice the volume of the first reactor. With

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 a feed concentration of 1 mol/L and space time of 96 s in the first reactor, the concentrations
of A in the first and second reactors are 0.5 mol/L and 0.25 mol/L, respectively. Find the
kinetic equation for the decomposition.

16. [OL 6.17] The elementary irreversible aqueous phase reaction A + B → R + S is carried
out by introducing two liquid streams of equal volumetric flow rates into a 4 L CSTR. One
stream contains 0.02 mol/L of A while the other contains 1.4 mol/L of B. The outlet of the
CSTR is then passed through a 16 L PFR. If the concentration of R formed in the CSTR is
0.002 mol/L, find the concentration of R at the exit of the PFR and the fraction of initial A
that has been converted in the system.
Ans: 0.00706 mol/L, 0.706