Ideal Flow Systems

Plug-like flow and uniform volume heating (or cooling) leading to a flat chemical reaction front (uniform conversion at each section of the channel) may be regarded as an ideal flow systems. Maintenance of complete (or close to it) sliding conditions at the walls is one of the ways to achieve this goal. 

Selecting the Voltammetric Technique The choice of which voltammetric technique to use depends on the sample s characteristics, including the analyte s expected concentration and the location of the sample. Amperometry is best suited for use as a detector in flow systems or as a selective sensor for the rapid analysis of a single analyte. The portability of amperometric sensors, which are similar to po-tentiometric sensors, make them ideal for field studies. 

Reac tors that are nominally CSTRs or PFRs may in practice deviate substantially from ideal mixing or nonmixing. This topic is developed at length in Sec. 23, so only a few summary statements are made here. More information about this topic also may be found in Nauman and Buffham (Mixing in Continuous Flow Systems, Wiley, 1983). 

The axial dispersion plug flow model is used to determine the performanee of a reaetor with non-ideal flow. Consider a steady state reaeting speeies A, under isothermal operation for a system at eonstant density Equation 8-121 reduees to a seeond order differential equation ... 

A practical method of predicting the molecular behavior within the flow system involves the RTD. A common experiment to test nonuniformities is the stimulus response experiment. A typical stimulus is a step-change in the concentration of some tracer material. The step-response is an instantaneous jump of a concentration to some new value, which is then maintained for an indefinite period. The tracer should be detectable and must not change or decompose as it passes through the mixer. Studies have shown that the flow characteristics of static mixers approach those of an ideal plug flow system. Figures 8-41 and 8-42, respectively, indicate the exit residence time distributions of the Kenics static mixer in comparison with other flow systems. 

Mixing, ideal or complete A state of complete uniformity of composition and temperature in a vessel. In a flow system, the residence time distribution is exponential, ranging from zero to infinity. 

The residence time for an ideal plug flow system is stipulated as ... 

For a few highly idealized systems, the residence time distribution function can be determined a priori without the need for experimental work. These systems include our two idealized flow reactors—the plug flow reactor and the continuous stirred tank reactor—and the tubular laminar flow reactor. The F(t) and response curves for each of these three types of well-characterized flow patterns will be developed in turn. 

In this chapter, we describe several ideal types of reactors based on two modes of operation (batch and continuous), and ideal flow patterns (backmix and tubular) for the continuous mode. From a kinetics point of view, these reactor types illustrate different ways in which rate of reaction can be measured experimentally and interpreted operationally. From a reactor point of view, the treatment also serves to introduce important concepts and terminology of CRE (developed further in Chapters 12 to 18). Such ideal reactor models serve as points of departure or first approximations for actual reactors. For illustration at this stage, we use only simple systems. 

Our treatment of Chemical Reaction Engineering begins in Chapters 1 and 2 and continues in Chapters 11-24. After an introduction (Chapter 11) surveying the field, the next five Chapters (12-16) are devoted to performance and design characteristics of four ideal reactor models (batch, CSTR, plug-flow, and laminar-flow), and to the characteristics of various types of ideal flow involved in continuous-flow reactors. Chapter 17 deals with comparisons and combinations of ideal reactors. Chapter 18 deals with ideal reactors for complex (multireaction) systems. Chapters 19 and 20 treat nonideal flow and reactor considerations taking this into account. Chapters 21-24 provide an introduction to reactors for multiphase systems, including fixed-bed catalytic reactors, fluidized-bed reactors, and reactors for gas-solid and gas-liquid reactions. 

An ideal conversion system has 100 percent conversion efficiency that is, 100% of the solid-fuel convertibles go to the combustion system (Figure 14), and no fuel is lost in the ash flow. However, ideal conversion systems do not exist in reality. The concept of conversion efficiency is mathematically defined by the authors [3]. 

Constructed wetlands (CWs) can promote removal of PhCs through a number of different mechanisms, including photolysis, plant uptake, microbial degradation and sorption to the soil. The main benefits of horizontal and vertical subsurface flow systems are the existence of aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic redox conditions in proximity to plant rhizomes this provides an ideal environment for reducing... 

There are many ways that two phases can be contacted, and for each the design equation will be unique. Design equations for these ideal flow patterns may be developed without too much difficulty. However, when real flow deviates considerably from these, we can do one of two things we may develop models to mirror actual flow closely, or we may calculate performance with ideal patterns which bracket actual flow. Fortunately, most real reactors for heterogeneous systems can be satisfactorily approximated by one of the five ideal flow patterns of Fig. 17.1. Notable exceptions are the reactions which take place in fluidized beds. There special models must be developed. 

Both the dispersion and tanks in series models can be used to represent the non-ideal flow behavior of fluids in packed bed and tubular reactors. As mentioned in the previous sections dealing with these models, they are both good for the slight deviations from plug flow encountered in the above systems. 

A mixed-flow reactor requires uniform composition of the fluid phase throughout the volume while the fluid is constantly flowing through it. This requires a special design in order to be achieved in the case of gas-solid systems. These reactors are basically experimental devices, which closely approach the ideal flow conditions and have been devised by Carbeny (Levenspiel, 1972). This device is called a basket-type mixed reactor (Figure 3.6). The catalyst is contained in four rapidly spinning wire baskets. 

The integration of (305) for a flow system (98) with the assumptions that the laws of ideal gases are applicable, the catalyst layer is isothermal, and the plug flow is realized, gives for m = 0.5 and the gas mixture of stoichiometric composition... 

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