Mole Balances

Chap. 1

(c) Write a question based on the material in this chapter that involves critical thinking and explain why it involves cntical thinking.

( d ) Repeat (c) for creative thinking.

Brainstorm a Iist of ways you could work problems P-XX (to be specified by your instructor--e.g., Example El, or PI-15,) incorrectly.
Surf the CD-ROMand the web (www.engin.umrch.edd-cw).
Go on a scavenger hunt using the summary notes for Chapter E on the CD-ROM.
(a) What Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)is not really frequently asked?
(e)

hot button leads

(c) What

(d) Whai

IC%f Quiz Shnw

PI-l*

to a picture of a cobra?

ISellTe;;/l hot button leads to r picture

4101 buffnn

o f r rabbit?

leads to a picture of a hippo?

(e) Review the oblecrives for Chapter 1 in the Summary Notes on the
CD-ROM. Write n paragraph in which you descr~hehow well you feel
you me1 these objec~ives.Diqcuss any difficulties you encountered and
three ways (e.p.. meet with professor. claqsmarec) you plan to address
removing these difficulties.
(f) Loub at the Chemical Reactor section of the Vi.rual E~lc?.rinl~rdin
of
Eyuiprnenr on the CD-ROM. Write a paragraph describing what you
learned.
(g) View the photos and schematics on the CD-ROM under Elements of
Chemical Reaction Englneerrng--Chapter 1. Look at the qulcktime videos. Write a paragraph describing two or more of the reactors. What similarities and differences do you observe be~weenthe reacton on the weh
(e.g.. 1r~tr~n.Ir~ebeqrtipi71er1t.con~).
on the CD-ROM. and in the text? How
do the used reactor prices compare aith those In Table 1-I?
Load the Interactive Computer Module (ICM) from the CD-ROM. Run the
module and then record your performance number for the module which indicates your mastery of the material.
ICM Kinetics Challenge 1 Performance #
Example 1-1 Calculate the volume of a CSTR for the conditions used to figure the plug-lion reactor volume in Example E -1. Which volume i s larger. the
PFR or the CSTR'? Explain why. Suggest two ways to work t h ~ sproblem
~ncorrec~ly.
Calculate the rime ra reduce the number o f moles of A to 19 of its initial value
in a constant-volume batch reactor for the reaction and data in Example 1 - 1 .
\%'hat assumptions were made in the dcrivat~onof the design equation for:
la) the batch reactor?
(b) the CSTR?
{c) the plug-Row reacior (PIT)?
Id) thc packed-bed reactor IPBR)?
(e) State in words the meanings of -r,. -r; . and X
r . Is the reaction nte -r,
an extensive quantity'! Explain.
Use the mole balance to derive an equation analogous to Equi~rion( 1-7 1 for n fluidifrd CSTR contalnrnp catalyst particles in terms of the catalys~we~ght.IV and other
appropriate term\. Hirlr: Scc rnaq~nfigure.

Chap. 1

Ouestions and Problems

Q ~ ~ c a n t manklim
s
or hills

C.A.

vo

Wlndfm

SFde view
Figure PI-14 Schematic diagmrns or the Loc AngeIes basin.

living Efample Prob!em

We shall perform an unsteady-stale mole balance on CO as it is depreted

from the basin area by a Santa Ano wind. Snnta Ana winds nre hrgh-velocity
winds that originate in the Mojave Desert just to the northeast of Lw Angeles.
Load the Smog in Los Angeles Raslin Web Module. Use the data in the module to work part 1-14 (a) through (h) given in the module. Load the living
example polymath code and explore the problem. Fur part (I), vary the
parameters D,,,n, and b. and write a paragraph describing what you find.
There i s heavier traffic in the L.A. basin in the mornings and in the evenings as workers go to and from work in downtown L.A. ConscquentIy, the
flow of CO into the L.A. basin might be better represented by the sine function over a 24-hour period.

PI-ISB The reaction

is to be carried out isothermnl!y in a continuous-flow reactor. Calculate both
the CSTR and PFR reacmr volumes necessary to consume 99% of A (i.e.. C4
= O.OICA,) when the entering molar flow rate is 5 molfh, assuming the reaction rate -rA is:
mol
(a) -r, = k
with k = 0.05 (Am.: V = 99 dm3)
h . dm'

(b) -rA = LC,

(c) -rA

kc:

= 0.0001 s-I
with k = 3 dm'
with k

moE .h

(Ans.:

r/csre = 66,000 dm")

The entering volumetric flow rate is TO ddlh. (Note: FA = C,u. For a

constant volumetric flow rate v = v , , then FA= C,u,,. Also. C,,, = F,dv, =
[5 rnol/hl/llQ drnJlhJ= 0.5 molldrnJ .)
(d) Repeat (a). (hl, and Ic) tocalculate the time necessary to consume 99.9%
of species A in a 1000 dm3 constant volume batch reactor with CAo= 0.5
molldm3.
P1-16* Write a one-pangraph Pummary of a journal articIe on chemical kinetics or
reaction engineering. The articIe must have heen published within the lasr five
years. What did you I e m from this article? Why 2s the article important?

Sec. 1.4

19

Continuous-Flow Reactors

As with the PFR,the PBR is assumed to have no radial gradients in concentration, temperature, or reaction rate. The generalized mole balance on species A over catalyst weight AW results in the equation

In -

Out

Generation = Accumulation

The dimensions of the generation term in Equation (1-14) are

(rL)AWz

!notes A

A
.(mass of catabsr) = moles
-

(time)(rnass of caraly.~r)

~irf~e

which are. as expected, the same dimensions of the molar flow rate FA. After
dividing by AW and taking the limit as A W -+ 0. we arrive at the differential
form of the mole balance for a packed-bed reactor:

Use differential form

of d m g n equation
for
cataIy<t decay and
pressure drop.

When pressure drop through the reactor (see Section 4.5) and catalyst
decay (see Section 10.7) are neglected, the integral form af the packed-cataIyst-kd design equation can be used to calculate the catalyst weight.
Use integral fnrm
only for no AP and
no catalyst decay.

W i s the catalyst weight necessary to reduce the entering molar flow rate of
species A. F,,. to a flow rate FA.
For some insight into things to come, consider the following example of
how one can use the tubular reactor design Equation ( 1 - 1 I).
Exumpk 1-1 How Large Is

it?

Consider the liquid pha.re ris - rrrrrls isomerizafion of 3-burene

runs-2-bu tene

cis-2-butene

which we will write symbolically as

A - R

The first order (-r, = kc,)reaction is carried nut in a rubular reactor in which the
volulnezric flow mte, c, I F constanl. 1.e.. I? = E ) , ~ .

20

Mole Balances

Chap.

'

1. Sketch the concentration prof le.

2. Derive an equation relating the reactor volume to the entering and exitrng
concentrations of A , the rate constant R, and the volumetric Row rate v .
3. Determine the reactor volume necessary to reduce the exiting concentration t~
10% of the entering concentration when the volumetric ffow rate is I (
dm3/rnin (i.e., litenlrnin) and the specific reaction rate, k. is 0.23 mrrr-'

1. Speciec A is consumed as we move down the reactor, and as a result. both the
molar flow rate of A and the concentration of A will decrease as we move.
Because the volumetric flow rate is constant, v = v , , one can use Equation
(1-8) to obtain the concentration of A, C, = F , ~ U and
~ , then by compariwn
with Figure 1-12 plot the concenrration of A as a function of rertctor volume
as shown in Figure El-1.1.

Figure EI-1.1

Concentration prufile.

2. Derive an equation relating Y

v,, k, CAo,and CA.

For a tubular reactor, the mole balance on species A Cj = A) was shown to be given
by Equation (1-1 1). Then for species A (j= A) results

For a fist-order reaction, the rate law (discussed i n Chapter 3) is

Reactor sizing

Because the volumetric flow rate. u , is constant ( u = uo). as it is for most liquidphase reactions,

Multiplying both sides of Equation (EI-1.2) by minus one

Equation (E 1-1. I ) yields

and then substituting

Sec

A+B

Industriat Rsac!ors

U ~ i n gthe conditions a ihc entrance ef the reactor that when V = 0, Ben C , = C,,,,

- 5f:d5 ,
J:( ,V
k r

C,= C,,,exp

C,

Carrying oul the integration of Equation (E I- 1.4) gives

-(kV/~*l

I
3. We want to find the vo:olume. V , , at which C , = --C,,
I0
c = 10 dmJlmin.

,,

for k = 0.23 min-I and

Substituting C*,,, C,. y,. and k in Equation (El-1.5). we have

We see that a reactor volume of 0. E rn' is neceshary to cnnven 9 0 4 of species A

entering into product B for the parameters given.

In the remainder of this chapter we look at slightly more detailed drawings of some typical industrial reactors and point out a few of the advantages
and diradvantages of each.'

1.5 Industrial Reactors

When is a batch
reactor u r ~ d ' '

d
Links

Be sure to view actual photographs of industrial reactors on the CD-ROM and

on the Web site. These are also links to view reactors on different web sites.
The CD-ROM also includes a portion of the K.slml Ei~cyclopen'ia of Equipment-Chemical Reactors developed by Dr. Susan Montgomery and her
students at University of Michigan.
[I] Liquid-Phase Reactions. Semibatch reactors and CSTRs are used primarily for liquid-phase: reactions. A semibatch reactor (Figure 1- 151 has essentially
the same disadvantages as the batch reactor. However. it has the advanrages of
temperature control by regulation of the feed rate and the capabifity of minimizing unwanted side reactions through the maintenance of a Iow concentration of
one of the reactants. The semibatch reactor is also used for two-phase reactions
in which a gas usually is bubbled continuousty through the liquid.
Chern. Eng., 63(10),2 l 1 ( 1956). See also AlChE MoritlEar hstn~crionSeries

(1984).

E, 5