Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor CSTR

A CSTR is a reactor model based on two assumptions (i) steady-state operation and (ii) the same conditions exist everywhere inside the reactor (due to good mixing). For steady operations, the accumulation term in the design equation vanishes. Since the same conditions exist everywhere, the rate (rj) is the same throughout the reactor and is equal to the rate at the reactor effluent, (r )out-Hence, the general, species-based design equation Eq. (4.1.3) reduces to 

Equation 4.2.7 is the species-based design equations for a CSTR, written for species j. It provides a relation between the species flow rate at the inlet and outlet of the reactor, and the species formation rate (rj), and the reactor volume, V.  

For a CSTR with single chemical reactions, the species-based design equation is usually written for the limiting reactant A, and Eq. 4.2.7 reduces to 

Using the conversion definition (Eq. 2.6.1b) and applying it to the reference stream, Fao- 

Equation 4.2.9 is the species-based design equation of a CSTR, expressed in terms of the conversion of reactant A. 

The liquid composition in the CSTR is uniform and equal to that of the exit stream, and the accumulation term is zero at steady state. Thus, the material balance for a reactant A is given as  

For the irreversible first-order reaction and the Michaelis-Menten type reaction, the following Equations 7.6 and 7.7 hold, respectively  

IDEAL CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR (CSTR) 

In an ideal continuous stirred tank reactor, composition and temperature are uniform throughout just as in the ideal batch reactor. But this reactor also has a continuous feed of reactants and a continuous withdrawal of products and unconverted reactants, and the effluent composition and temperature are the same as those in the tank (Fig. 7-fb). A CSTR can be operated under transient conditions (due to variation in feed composition, temperature, cooling rate, etc., with time), or it can be operated under steady-state conditions. In this section we limit the discussion to isothermal conditions. This eliminates the need to consider energy balance equations, and due to the uniform composition the component material balances are simple ordinary differential equations with time as the independent variable  

At steady state the differential equations simplify to algebraic equations as indicated below  

Equation (7-52) can be expressed in terms of volumetric concentration or in terms of conversions just as we did with the batch reactor. An apparent residence time based on feed conditions can be defined for a single-phase CSTR as follows  

(7-53) the feed and effluent molar rates Nio and Ni are expressed in terms of volumetric flow rates qoond q (inlet and outlet, respectively) and concentrations. Thus Eq. (7-52) can be rewritten as 

For a reaction represented by A - products, in which the rate, ( — rA), is proportional to cA, with a proportionality constant kA, show that the time (t) required to achieve a specified fractional conversion of A (/A) is independent of the initial concentration of reactant cAo. Assume reaction occurs in a constant-volume batch reactor. 

If we combine this with the material-balance equation 2.2-10 for a constant-density reaction, 

References Salnikov (1948), Bilous and Amundson (1955), Aris and Amundson (1958), Gurel and Lapidus (1965). 

Salnikov specifically reported multiple singular points and a limit cycle establishing the existence of oscillations in chemical reactions. Bilous and Amundson (1955) referred to Salnikov s (1948) paper as the first work where periodic phenomenon in reaction systems was discussed. They also indicated that a reaction A - B in CSTR is irreversible, exothermic, and kinetically first order. Considering mass balance and heat balance equations it is known that at the steady states, the heat consumption 

T = average coolant temperature in reactor cooling coil H = heat of reaction (—AH 0, exothermic) p = frequency factor in reaction velocity constant E = activation energy k = pe EIRT 0, reaction velocity constant. 

Bilous and Amundson discuss the multiple solutions of the system. They consider the following possibilities in the solution plane are considered  

One singular point, two singular points, three singular points and their stability, as well as stable periodic solutions (sustained oscillations). 

When the molar flow is replaced by the volumetric flow V and the concentration Cj, we obtain  

The volume occupied by the reaction mixture is designated with V. In general, V corresponds to about three-fourth of the nominal reactor volume. 

The ratio of the reaction volume to the volumetric inlet flow Kg is known as the space time  

The reciprocal value of t is often designated as the space velocity or, in biotechnology, the dilution rate. 

After a transient period that corresponds to about five times the space time, the reactor operates at steady state, that is, the composition of the reaction mixture is time invariant and the mass balance is reduced to a simple algebraic expression. 

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Copolymers are typically manufactured using weU-mixed continuous-stirred tank reactor (cstr) processes, where the lack of composition drift does not cause loss of transparency. SAN copolymers prepared in batch or continuous plug-flow processes, on the other hand, are typically hazy on account of composition drift. SAN copolymers with as Httle as 4% by wt difference in acrylonitrile composition are immiscible (44). SAN is extremely incompatible with PS as Httle as 50 ppm of PS contamination in SAN causes haze. Copolymers with over 30 wt % acrylonitrile are available and have good barrier properties. If the acrylonitrile content of the copolymer is increased to >40 wt %, the copolymer becomes ductile. These copolymers also constitute the rigid matrix phase of the ABS engineering plastics. 

Cooking extmders have been studied for the Uquefaction of starch, but the high temperature inactivation of the enzymes in the extmder demands doses 5—10 times higher than under conditions in a jet cooker (69). Eor example, continuous nonpressure cooking of wheat for the production of ethanol is carried out at 85°C in two continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) connected in series plug-fiow tube reactors may be included if only one CSTR is used (70). 

Despite the higher cost compared with ordinary catalysts, such as sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, the cation exchangers present several features that make their use economical. The abiHty to use these agents in a fixed-bed reactor operation makes them attractive for a continuous process (50,51). Cation-exchange catalysts can be used also in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) operation. 

Over 25 years ago the coking factor of the radiant coil was empirically correlated to operating conditions (48). It has been assumed that the mass transfer of coke precursors from the bulk of the gas to the walls was controlling the rate of deposition (39). Kinetic models (24,49,50) were developed based on the chemical reaction at the wall as a controlling step. Bench-scale data (51—53) appear to indicate that a chemical reaction controls. However, flow regimes of bench-scale reactors are so different from the commercial furnaces that scale-up of bench-scale results caimot be confidently appHed to commercial furnaces. For example. Figure 3 shows the coke deposited on a controlled cylindrical specimen in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and the rate of coke deposition. The deposition rate decreases with time and attains a pseudo steady value. Though this is achieved in a matter of rninutes in bench-scale reactors, it takes a few days in a commercial furnace. 

Experimental data that are most easily obtained are of (C, t), (p, t), (/ t), or (C, T, t). Values of the rate are obtainable directly from measurements on a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), or they may be obtained from (C, t) data by numerical means, usually by first curve fitting and then differentiating. When other properties are measured to follow the course of reaction—say, conductivity—those measurements are best converted to concentrations before kinetic analysis is started. 

Continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) are frequently employed multiply and in series. Reactants are continuously fed to the first vessel they overflow through the others in succession, while being thor-... 

Continuous. stirred tank reactor (CSTR), with the effluent concentration the same as the uniform vessel concentration. With a mean residence time t = V /V, the material balance is... 

In previous studies, the main tool for process improvement was the tubular reactor. This small version of an industrial reactor tube had to be operated at less severe conditions than the industrial-size reactor. Even then, isothermal conditions could never be achieved and kinetic interpretation was ambiguous. Obviously, better tools and techniques were needed for every part of the project. In particular, a better experimental reactor had to be developed that could produce more precise results at well defined conditions. By that time many home-built recycle reactors (RRs), spinning basket reactors and other laboratory continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) were in use and the subject of publications. Most of these served the original author and his reaction well but few could generate the mass velocities used in actual production units. 

A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is usually much smaller than a batch reactor for a specific production rate. In addition to reduced inventory, using a CSTR usually results in other benefits which enhance safety, reduce costs, and improve the product quality. For example ... 

There are a variety of ways of accomplishing a particular unit operation. Alternative types of process equipment have different inherently safer characteristics such as inventory, operating conditions, operating techniques, mechanical complexity, and forgiveness (i.e., the process/unit operation is inclined to move itself toward a safe region, rather than unsafe). For example, to complete a reaction step, the designer could select a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), a small tubular reactor, or a distillation tower to process the reaction. 

If the mixing is "perfect," tlie estuary behavior may be approximated by what chemical engineers define as a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) (5). However, accurately estimating the time and spatial beliavior of water quality in estuaries is complicated by the effects of tidal motion as just described. The upstream and downstream currents produce substantial variations of water quality at certain points in the estuary, and tlie calculation of such variation is indeed a complicated problem. How ei er, the following simplifications provide some reiiitirkably useful results in estimating the distribution of estuarine water quality. 

During the manufacturing process, if the grafting increases during early stages of the reaction, the phase volume will also increase, but the size of the particles will remain constant [146-148]. Furthermore, reactor choice plays a decisive role. If the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is used, little grafting takes place and the occlusion is poor and, consequently, the rubber efficiency is poor. However, in processes akin to the discontinuous system(e.g., tower/cascade reactors), the dispersed phase contains a large number of big inclusions. 

Frequently, stirred tanks are used with a continuous flow of material in on one side of the tank and with a continuous outflow from the other. A particular application is the use of the tank as a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR). Inevitably, there will be a vety wide range of residence times for elements of fluid in the tank. Even if the mixing is so rapid that the contents of the tank are always virtually uniform in composition, some elements of fluid will almost immediately flow to the outlet point and others will continue circulating in the tank for a very long period before leaving. The mean residence time of fluid in the tank is given by ... 

The particles in the latex stream leaving a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) would have a broad distribution of residence times in the reactor. This age distribution, given by Equation 5, comes about because of the rapid mixing of the feed stream with the contents of the stirred reactor. 

Various reactor combinations are used. For example, the product from a relatively low solids batch-mass reactor may be transferred to a suspension reactor (for HIPS), press (for PS), or unagitated batch tower (for PS) for finishing. In a similar fashion, the effluent from a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) may be transferred to a tubular reactor or an unagitated or agitated tower for further polymerization before devolatilization. 

Nomura and Fujita (12), Dougherty (13-14), and Storti et al. (12). Space does not permit a review of each of these papers. This paper presents the development of a more extensive model in terms of particle formation mechanism, copolymer kinetic mechanism, applicability to intervals I, II and III, and the capability to simulate batch, semibatch, or continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR). Our aim has been to combine into a single coherent model the best aspects of previous models together with the coagulative nucleation theory of Feeney et al. (8-9) in order to enhance our understanding of... 

The protecting reaction of the enamino pyrrolidinone with t-butoxycarbonyl anhydride was carried out by mixing 4-(N-/-butoxycarbonyl)-4-aminomethylene-pyirolidin-3-one (Boc-AMP) with 1.2 molar equivalents of t-butoxycarbonyl anhydride (/-BoczO) to make l-(N-f-butoxycarbonyl)-4-(N-t-butoxycarbonyl)-ammomethylene-pyrrolidin-3-one (B0C2-AMP). Several types of reactors, including batch reactors, a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR),... 

Based on the kinetic mechanism and using the parameter values, one can analyze the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as well as the dispersed plug flow reactor (PFR) in which the reaction between ethylene and cyclopentadiene takes place. The steady state mass balance equations maybe expressed by using the usual notation as follows ... 

Consider a continuous-stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) with cooling jacket where a first order exothermic reaction takes place. It is required to derive a model relating the extent of the reaction with the flowrate of the heat... 

Such improvements in conversion were reported for the oxidation of ethanol by hydrogen peroxide to acetic acid. This is a well-studied reaction, carried out in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR). Near-complete conversion (> 99%) at near-complete selectivity (> 99%) was found in a micro-reaction system [150]. Processing in a CSTR resulted in 30-95% conversion at > 99% selectivity. 

GP 9] [R 16] By finite-element reactor modeling, it was shown that for conversions as large as 34%, concentration differences within the mini wide fixed-bed reactor of only less than 10% are found [78], Thus, the reactor approximates a continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR). This means that the mini wide fixed-bed reactor yields differential kinetics even at large conversions, larger than for reactors used so far (< 10% conversion). 

The catalyzed oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid is a well-studied reaction, carried out in continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) [51]. Hence it is a good test reaction for benchmarking micro reactor results. 

The length (height) and the diameter of tank reactor are close to each other or at least of the same order of magnitude. Tank reactors are usually equipped with a stirrer. In an ideal continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), a feed stream is instantaneously mixed with the reaction mixture before molecules of the stream start to react. In reality, small reactors with vigorous stirring where relatively slow reactions occur behave as if they were ideal CSTRs. The... 

If the process is carried out in a stirred batch reactor (SBR) or in a plug-flow reactor (PFR) the final product will always be the mixture of both products, i.e. the selectivity will be less than one. Contrary to this, the selectivity in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) can approach one. A selectivity equal to one, however, can only be achieved in an infinite time. In order to reach a high selectivity the mean residence time must be very long, and, consequently, the productivity of the reactor will be very low. A compromise must be made between selectivity and productivity. This is always a choice based upon economics. 

Case A. Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor (CSTR)... 

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