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Figure 5. Reactor and jacket temperature in conventional batch Process-
maximum rate of reaction with goad temperature control.
Figure 3. Continuous processes that are nearly equivalent to a batch process.
A. stirred tanks in series; B, baffled continuous stined tank. (Mixing Equipmew
Co., Rochester. New York). Conventional Batch Technology
In conventional hatch processes the ingredients are usually
added manually to an agitated vessel and the temperature is
he no hack-mixing, and the product ohtained with this hy- raised to the required level by heating the reactor jacket or
pothetical reactor would he the same as one produced in a coils in the reactor. When the exothermic reaction begins, the
batch reactor. vessel is cooled by circulating coolant in the jacket or coils as
'I'hese results can he arhieved, at least approximately, by shown in Figure 4. Automatic temperature control to a fixed
such methods as those shown in Figure 3. Several stages are temperature set point is usually provided. This process creates
required, sometimes as many as 10 or 20. many problems which are discussed in the sections below.
The total reactor volume of an "ideal" continuous reactor
process with "plug flow" is the same as the volume of a hatch Safety
reactor for the same process. A "real" continuous process will Chemical reactions are usually exothermic (heat producing)
not be perfectly "plug flow" and will have somewhat larger and the reaction rate increases exponentially with tempera-
total reactor volume than an "ideal" continuous reactor. ture. Loss of temoerature control of the reactor can result from
~~ ~ ~
Continuous processes of the type shown in Figure 3 are best lass of cooling or agitation, or from errors in loading which can
suited for making products at fairly high rates where one or easilv occur when loadine" is done manuallv. This can result
at most a few different products are required. Usually, for in high pressure in the reactor which can cause some or most
small-volume products, a single batch reactor will he simpler of the contents to he lost through the emergency pressure
and less expensive than a series-type continuous reaction relief system. In extreme cases the reactor can blow up. I t is
system. - - pressure
usuallv more difficult to design a suitable emergencv -
In continuous nrocesses changing . products
. is time-con- relief system for a conventional batch process than a contin-
suming and ran produce large amounts of off-gradematerial. uous process.
For t h ~ reason.
s . lona- .i~rodurtionruns of one r~roducrare de-
sirahle. On the other hand, development andscale-up of new Heat Transfer
products may he more time-consuming with continuous Heat transfer means the removal or addition of heat, usually
processes than with batch processes. This is the result of the by conduction through the metal wall of a tank or pipe. The
sienificant time required in both lahoratory-scale and pro- term "heat transfer coefficient" is a measure of the resistance
diction-scale contikous process to reach a steady state where to the flow of heat across the tank or pipe wall. If the heat
reliable operating.data and product samples can he oh- transfer coefficient hetween the reactor contents and the
tained. jacket fluid is constant, the maximum rate of heat transfer
For example, a.liquid-phase continuous process with an availahle
~~ -~~~~~~is ohtained when the temoerature difference he-
~ ~ ~ ~
average residence time of 4 hr may require 10-16 hr to reach tween the reactor contents and the jacket fluid is maximum.
steady state where reliable operating data may be ohtained. However, there can be a significant change in the character-
In comparison, in a hatch process with a reaction time of 4 hr istics of the reactants during reaction, such as an increase in
reaction data and the final product will he available in 4 hr. apparent viscosity that can greatly affect heat transfer char-
Continuous
- ~ nrocesses are not well suited for products that acteristics. Assuming that the heat transfer coefficient does
tend to build u i on reactor surfaces, since it may be necessary not vary significantly while the hatch is in the reactor, the
to shut the reactor down periodicdlv and drain it for cleanout.
~~ ~
maximum capability for transferring heat occurs when the
In batch processes the reactor is emptied after each run and cooling fluid in the jacket is at the temperature of the available
the reactor can he cleaned each time to avoid excessive cooling fluid. In many cases, particularly in polymerization
buildup. The cleaning process may he fully automated. reactions, the temperature profile shown in Figure 5 results.