CHPR5501: Advanced Reaction Engineering and Catalysis

E103

V100

R-101

C100

R-102

Storage for
feedstock
A

P100

E100

E104
E102

E101

V101
E105
C101

P101

E106

Winthrop Prof. Mike Johns

School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering
University of Western Australia

Evolving Course Outline

CHPR5501: Advanced Reaction Engineering and Catalysis
Winthrop Professor Mike Johns

Lecturers: Assist. Prof Agnes Haber/

Week / Start Date

1 / 23 Feb 2015
2 / 2 March 2015

3 / 9 March 2015

Assist. Prof Einar Fridjonsson

Tuesday
9:00-9:45
L1:Reaction Engineering
Intro
L4: Reactors Residence
Time Distributions
> Release of Tutorial 1:
Reactors: Intro, Modelling
and RTDs

Thursday
10:00-10 :45
L2: Reactors: Type and
Modelling
L5: Reactors Residence
Time Distributions
Release of Assign. 1
(Group):
Gas-to-Liquid
Submit by: 4:30 pm 20th
April 2015 (Monday)

Thursday
11:00-11:45
L3: Reactors: Type and
Modelling
L6: Heterogeneous
Reactions

NO LECTURE

L8: Electrochemical
Reaction Origins of
Corrosion

4 / 16 March 2015

L9: Electrochemical
Reaction Origins of
Corrosion

L7: Heterogeneous
Reactions
> Release of Tutorial 2:
Heterogeneous Catalysis
L10: Electrochemical
Reaction Origins of
Corrosion

5 / 23 March 2015

L14: Fluidised Bed Reactors

L11: Corrosion Types

Tutorial 2: Heterogeneous
Catalysis

6 / 30 March 2015

L15: Fluidised Bed Reactors

Release of Assign. 2:
(individual)
HYSYS Simulation
Submit by: 4:30 25th May
(Monday)

L12: Corrosion Types

L13: Corrosion Types

> Release of Tutorial 3:
Corrosion

Mid-Term Break

Tutorial 1:
Reactors: Intro, Modelling
and RTDs

Evolving Course Outline Continued

7 / 13 April 2015

Lecturers: Assist. Prof Agnes Haber/

Assist. Prof Einar Fridjonsson

L16: Fluidised Bed

Reactors
Release of Tutorial 4:
Fluidisation
Tutorial 4:
Fluidised Bed Reactors

L17: Polymer Reaction

Chemistry

Tutorial 3:
Corrosion

L18: Polymer Reaction

Chemistry

9 / 27 April 2015

Mid-Term Test (30

Minutes)

L20: Bioreactors

10 / 4 May 2015

L21: Bioreactors

11 / 11 May 2015

L24: Catalysis:
Effectiveness Factor

L22: Bioreactors
Release of Tutorial 6:
Bioreactors
L25: Catalysis:
Effectiveness Factor

L19: Polymer Reaction

Chemistry
Release of Tutorial 5:
Polymer Reaction
Chemistry
Tutorial 5
Polymer Reaction
Chemistry
L 23: Catalysis Introduction

12 / 18 May 2015

L27: Catalysis:
Deactivation and
Characterisation
Release of Tutorial 7:
Catalysis
Tutorial 7: Catalysis

8 / 20 April 2015

13/ 25 May 2015

L26 Catalysis: Deactivation

and Characterisation

Tutorial 6
Bioreactors

Exam Preparation:
Example Examination
Script

Exam Preparation:
Example Examination
Script

Exam Preparation:
Example Examination
Script

Stuff in Red Bold Does Not Change

Assignment 1 (Group): Literature Survey and Technical Assessment
Assignment 2: (Individual) Reaction kinetics and Simulation
Mid-term Test:
Exam:

20 %
15 %
10 %
55 %

Reactors: Introduction
Sample Of Reaction Engineering Flow Sheet

Note series of reactors (Constant Stirred Tank Reactors)

Reactors: Introduction
Reactions must often be catalysed with the catalyst being present either in the same
physical phase (Homogenous) or (predominately) as a solid phase (Heterogeneous)
Hence the distinction between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis
Heterogeneous Catalysis usually simplifies the phase separation of reactants/products
and the catalyst but does require consideration of mass transfer to and from the catalytic
surface.
Examples of Solid (heterogeneous) Catalysts

Note that many catalysts are impregnated on to the surface of a catalyst support providing
a high surface-to-volume ratio. Examples of supports are Alumina, Carbon and Silica

Homogeneous Reactors
Batch: A fixed amount of material is processed (reacted) in a given time.
Continuous: Material flows continuously into and out of the reactor.

The reactors above are usually assumed to be WELL MIXED: the composition is the same
throughout the vessel. In the case of the perfect Constant Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR),
the exit composition is assumed the same as that in the vessel.
Cooling and heating are usually provided to such reaction vessels via either an external
jacket or internal coils or both.

Homogeneous Reactors
CSTRs are good for liquid reactions. They are generally cheap and easy to run. A process
might contain a series of CSTRS as in the example on slide 4.
Tubular or Plug Flow Reactor Geometry

> The tube can be a single, or a (parallel) bundle of, tubes not that dissimilar to a
shell and tube heat exchanger.
> Conditions change along the length of the reactor. Perfect plug flow assumes piston
displacement and no mixing in the axial direction but perfect mixing in the radial
direction.
> Its a convenient way to pack catalyst pellets into a tube (of course thats heterogeneous
Catalysis)

MOST REACTORS ARE IN BETWEEN A CSTR AND A PLUG FLOW REACTOR IN PRACTICE

Homogeneous Reactors
Before Reactor design, the following are essential physical-chemical characteristics
of the reaction taking place:

All of the above are of course functions of temperature - we will assume isothermal
operation initially.

Homogeneous Reactors

Rate of Reaction - r

kf
A+B

D+F
kb

: a + b order

Example Question

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

It is common to use the dimensionless quantity, fractional conversion (XA), to convey
extent of reaction.
Here defined for reactant A: NA0 number of kmols
of A at time zero, NA is the number left.

Batch Reactor

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Let us consider a constant volume system:
A 4B

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Let us consider a constant pressure (gas) system:
A 4B

Returning to the reaction rate:

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Const. Pressure Batch Continued

[1]

[2]

From above two equations ([1] and [2]):

Example Question

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Analysis of Constantly Stirred Tank Reactors

Example

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Thats a 6.1 m diameter reactor! Likely in reality to be a series of reactors.

Aside: Distinction between Space Time and Residence Time

Space Time ts: time required to process a volume of feed equal to the void volume
of the reactor.
For previous example: ts = V/Q1 = 229/1 = 229 s.
Residence time t: actual time the fluid resides within the reactor. Only if the molar
density of the fluid is constant will ts = t.
In the previous example, the molar density is not constant. The number of kmols in the
system increases via the ratio 1 -> (1+XA) : To maintain a constant pressure in a reactor
of constant volume, the volumetric flow-rate leaving the reactor must increase accordingly.

Q2 = Q1(1+XA) = 1(1.35) = 1.35 m3/s

Therefore t = V/Q2 = 229/1.35 = 170s.

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

CSTR Liquid Phase Reaction

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Example Question

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Plug Flow Reactors (Gas Phase)

[7]

(Slide 17)

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Shown previously - slide 17

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Plug Flow Reactor (Liquid Phase)

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Let us consider a graphical representation of a CSTR and a PFR

Consider a 1st order reaction:

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

The optimum depends on the shape of the curve:

Homogeneous Isothermal Reactors

CSTRS in Series 1st order reactions

(Shown Previously)

For n CSTRs in series:

Example Question

Product Degradation Batch Reaction

Product Degradation Continuous Reactor

Product Degradation Continuous Reactor