Thiele modulus generalised

The modulus defined by eqn. (10) then has the advantage that the asymptotes to t (0) are approximately coincident for a variety of particle shapes and reaction orders, with the specific exception of a zero-order reaction (n = 0), for which t = 1 when 0 < 1 and 77 = 1/0 when 0 > 1. The curve of 77 as a function of 0 is thus quite general for practical catalyst pellets. Figure 2 illustrates the form of For 0 > 3, it is found that 77 = 1/0 to an accuracy within 0.5%, while the approximation is within 3.5% for 0 > 2. The errors involved in using the generalised curve to estimate 77 are probably no greater than the errors perpetrated by estimating values of parameters in the Thiele modulus. 

To assess whether a reaction is influenced by intraparticle diffusion effects, Weisz and Prater [11] developed a criterion for isothermal reactions based upon the observation that the effectiveness factor approaches unity when the generalised Thiele modulus is of the order of unity. It has been shown that the effectiveness factor for all catalyst geometries and reaction orders (except zero order) tends to unity when... 

In assessing whether a reactor is influenced by intraparticle mass transfer effects WeiSZ and Prater 24 developed a criterion for isothermal reactions based upon the observation that the effectiveness factor approaches unity when the generalised Thiele modulus is of the order of unity. It has been showneffectiveness factor for all catalyst geometries and reaction orders (except zero order) tends to unity when the generalised Thiele modulus falls below a value of one. Since tj is about unity when 0 < ll for zero-order reactions, a quite general criterion for diffusion control of simple isothermal reactions not affected by product inhibition is < 1. Since the Thiele modulus (see equation 3.19) contains the specific rate constant for chemical reaction, which is often unknown, a more useful criterion is obtained by substituting l v/CAm (for a first-order reaction) for k to give ... 

To generalize the asymptotic behaviour of r shown in Fig. 7.11 to arbitrary kinetics, it then suffices to define the generalised Thiele modulus as ... 

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