Reactor Modeling with the RTD

There are many situations where the fluid in a reactor is neither well mixed nor approximates plug flow. Consequently, we must now ask the question  

Ways we use (he RTD data to predict conversion in nonideal reactors 

To answer this question we will model a real reactor in a number of ways. We shall classify each model according to the number of adjustable parameters that are extracted from the RTD data (see Table 13-1). In this chapter we discuss only the segregation and maximum mixedness models. Other models are discussed in Chapter 14. 

Two adjustable parameters Real reactor modeled as combinations cf 

Consequently, mixing with the surrounding molecules is not important. Therefore, once the RTD is determined we can predict the conversion that will be achieved in the real reactor provided that the specific reaction rate for the first-order reaction is known. However, for reactions other than first-order, knowledge of the RTD is not sufficient to predict conversion. In these cases the degree of mixing of molecules must be known in addition to how long each molecule spends in the reactor. Consequently, we must develop models that account for the mixing of molecules inside the reactor. 

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Reactor Modeling with the RTD 836 Zero-Parameter Models 838... 

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