Chapter 6

Ideal Reactors

A reactor is an apparatus or a structure in which chemical, biological, and physi-

cal processes (reactions) proceed intentionally, purposefully, and in a controlled
manner. In ideal reactors, the transport and mixing processes can be described
mathematically exactly; this is in contrast to real, technical, built or natural reac-
tors which must be modeled, but where the transport processes are only approxi-
mately known.
Ideal reactors are a theoretical proxy or concept which is analyzed instead of the
real-world system to be simulated.
Contrary to natural systems, technical systems are planned and designed by engin-
eers. The form, function, and characteristics of reactors (apparatuses, construc-
tions) are frequently designed such that transport and mixing processes are easy to
model; this allows one to accurately predict the expected performance. Ideal react-
ors are the models that are examined instead of real reactors. Whereas real reactors
deviate in their behavior from the ideal reactors, they can frequently be described
sufficiently accurately by ideal reactors.
Here the properties of ideal reactors, frequently used in water technology, are
introduced and discussed. Chapter 8 will demonstrate how ideal reactors can be
used to develop models of real reactors. Ideal reactors are not only used in the
description of technical systems – they are equally applied to natural systems.
Ideal reactors are model systems for which the transport and mixing processes are
exactly defined. They serve as abstract analogs of effective reactors. Their proper-
ties are chosen such that they can easily be described in mathematical terms.

6.1 Overview of Ideal Reactors

Ideal reactors differ regarding their influent and effluent, possible gradients of
their state variables, and the geometry of their volume. Infinitely large internal

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102 6 Ideal Reactors

mixing eliminates concentration gradients. For reactors with finite mixing (plug-
flow reactors) the differential, intensive balance equation (3.15) must be applied,
whereas well-mixed reactor compartments may be balanced with the aid of the
extensive balance equation (3.11). Table 6.1 summarizes the properties of the
ideal reactors that will be discussed in this chapter.

Table 6.1 Overview of the characteristics of the ideal reactors discussed here

Type of reactor Influent and Volume Directed Internal mixing Gradients of

effluent flow state variables
Batch reactor no constant no ∞ large in x, y, z no
Stirred tank reactor yes, equal constant no ∞ large in x, y, z no
Cascade of stirred yes, equal constant between in sections between
tank reactors sections ∞ large in x, y, z sections
Plug-flow reactor yes, equal constant yes ∞ large in y, z in x direction
Advection in x
Turbulent plug-flow yes, equal constant yes ∞ large in y, z, in x direction
reactor advection and
turbulence in x
Stirred tank reactor yes, differ- variable no ∞ large in x, y, z no
with variable volume ent amount

6.2 The Batch Reactor

The batch reactor has a constant volume which is so intensively mixed that in-
side the reactor gradients of state variables cannot occur in any direction. It has
neither influent nor effluent, and exchange of material is very limited such that it
does not affect the volume of the water (e. g., gas exchange over the free surface
or the dosing of highly concentrated chemicals). Typical batch reactors are test
tubes in the laboratory (frequently closed systems). Figure 6.1 schematically
shows a batch reactor.
The material balance equation for water has the form:
dρ W dV dV
V⋅ + ρW ⋅ = rW ⋅ V = 0 or =0 (6.1)
dt dt dt

Fig. 6.1 Schematic representation and characteristics of a batch reactor