Temperature Scanning Reactor operating conditions

Notice that this means that the TS-PFR can be operated under isothermal or adiabatic conditions as well as any other. One way to envision this flexibility is to see isothermal reactors as operating under conditions where the heat transfer is infinite, allowing the reaction to track the control temperature perfectly. Adiabatic reactors in that view have zero heat transfer and no heat is lost from the reaction. Temperature scanning reactors operate with any value of heat transfer coefficient, including the above two extremes. 

The total acidity deterioration and the acidity strength distribution of a catalyst prepared from a H-ZSM-5 zeolite has been studied in the MTG process carried out in catalytic chamber and in an isothermal fixed bed integral reactor. The acidity deterioration has been related to coke deposition. The evolution of the acidic structure and of coke deposition has been analysed in situ, by diffuse reflectance FTIR in a catalytic chamber. The effect of operating conditions (time on stream and temperature) on acidity deterioration, coke deposition and coke nature has been studied from experiments in a fixed integral reactor. The technique for studying acidity yields a reproducible measurement of total acidity and acidity strength distribution of the catalyst deactivated by coke. The NH3 adsorption-desorption is measured by combination of scanning differential calorimetry and the FTIR analysis of the products desorbed. 

Although the TS mode of operation does not require isothermal or steady-state conditions, it is assumed that the reaction is at all times in steady state with respect to certain steps in the reaction. For example, in catalytic TS-PFR operation, it is taken that the adsorption/desorption steady state is achieved much mare rapidly than the time scale involved in the temperature scanning procedure. In the TS-CSTR we assume this, as well as the fact that complete mixing of reactor contents takes place on a time scale much shorter than the temperature ramping. Moreover, although there may be temperature differences and heat flows between various components of the reactor, of the catalyst, and of the reactants, these should not be flow-velocity-dependent, nor should there be any flow-velocity-dependent diffusion effects. 

The operation and description of a temperature scanning continuously stirred tank reactor (TS-CSTR) is, in principle, much simpler than for the TS-PFR. It turns out that rates can be calculated from each individual point in each run, and that flow rates and temperature ramping do not need the same careful control as the TS-PFR. Nevertheless, the operation of die reactor should approach the perfectly mixed condition very closely. Although in practice it may be difficult to make the necessary physical arrangements for complete and instantaneous mixing within the reactor, as with other TS reactor types there are verification procedures that will reveal if proper operating conditions are not being met. 

The theory of temperature scanning allows us to ramp the inlet temperature to a TS-PFR independently of the temperature of the reactor, as long as certain conditions are observed (see Chapter 5). However, there seems to be no special advantage to following this type of operation. The optimum solution is then to ramp both the input feed and the reactor itself along the same trajectory. 

These are actions of the computer which are initiated by events, e.g. switching off a pump when a tank has been filled to a certain level. They form the basis of the response of computer-controlled plant to alarm conditions, e.g. if the temperature in the reactor described in Fig. 7.102 exceeds a specified value then action must be taken by the computer, such as rapidly increasing the flow of coolant or reducing the feed to the reactor. Generally, sensor-initiated operations must be performed within a specified maximum time interval and are often in the form of alarm interrupts (Section 7.18.3). Smaller systems will regularly scan a set of specific process variables via a multiplexer to see if any action is necessary. The latter arrangement is called polling. 

The simpler and most reliable approach to the use of the DIERS methodology is the use of FAUSKY s reactive system screening tool (RSST). It is an experimental autoclave which simulates actual situations that may arise in industrial systems. The RSST runs as a differential scanning calorimeter that may operate as a vent-sizing unit where data can readily be obtained and can be applied to full-scale process conditions. The unit is computerized and records plots of pressure vs. temperature, temperature vs. time, pressure vs. time, and the rates of temperature rise and pressure rise vs. the inverse of temperature. From these data it determines the potential for runaway reactions and measures the rates of temperature and pressure increases to allow reliable determinations of the energy and gas release rates. This information can be combined with simplified analytical tools to assess reactor vent size requirements. The cost of setting up a unit of this kind is close to 15,000. 

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