1.
0 OBJECTIVES
To conduct mass balance and energy balance in Continuous Stirred Tank
Reactor.
7.0 TUTORIALS
1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using CSTR reactors in a chemical
reaction. Describe an example of industrial applications that utilized CSTR
reactors in its process.
There are lots of advantages of using CSTR reactors in a chemical reaction. First is CSTR
is cheaper and easy to construct compared to other reactors. Easy to control the
temperature in all stages because it operates in a stationary state. Other than that, CSTR
also can run under continuous operation at input and output are under steady-state
condition. CSTR also use low amount of electrical energy hence low-cost operating. In
industry, CSTR are readily for automatic control which involve fast response to change
operating conditions. It is easy to maintain and clean. Due to large size, CSTR can store a
lot of heat energy. CSTR is assumed to be perfectly mixing during operation. Next is the
efficient stirring and viscosity is at low level. Lastly, the model behaviour can be closely
approached in practice to obtain predictable performance.
CSTR reactors also have some disadvantage for example the outlet stream has same
contents of the vessel. In other words, all reaction takes places at the lowest concentration
between inlet and outlet. If normal kinetics take place, the rate of reaction decreases as
concentration decrease. Hence, process need a greater volume of reactor to achieved
desired conversion. It’s applied vice versa for abnormal kinetics. Other than that, CSTR
conversion per unit volume of the reactor is the smallest compared to other flow reactors.
One of example use of CSTR in industry is the optimization of feasible and reliable
bioprocess system in order to treat hydrocarbon-rich industrial wastewater. It was
successfully developed by acclimatized microbial consortium. After 225 days, the process
shows positive result in decontaminating the wastewater. The performance of the reactor
shows the reactor can achieved reduction of COD rates until 95%. Based on the result, the
treatment can achieve positive result and present feasible technology for treatment of
hydrocarbon-rich wastewater from petrochemical industries.
2. Write a one-paragraph summary of any journal article that studies chemical
reaction in a CSTR. The article must have been published within the last 5 years.
Explain on the CSTR reactor used in the study and its significance to the study
done.
A Comparative study of Saponification reaction has been conducted in a Continuous stirred tank
reactor (CSTR) and Plug flow reactor (PFR). The reaction chosen for investigation was
hydrolysis of ethyl acetate with sodium hydroxide. The objectives here are to examine the effect
of process conditions on steady state conversion and rate constant in a PFR and CSTR. The
variables examined for comparative study are feed rate, temperature and residence time. Data
were collected at constant concentration of 0.1 M of both the reactants and at a constant
pressure of 1 atmosphere. A reaction conversion of 72.8% and specific rate constant of 1.27
L/mol.sec were obtained for PFR as compared with a decreased value of 48.6% and 0.0478
L/mol.sec for baffled CSTR under steady state conditions. Conversion increases with increase of
temperature both in case of PFR and CSTR under studied range of temperature. Maximum
conversion and rate constant of 68.4% and 0.688 L/mol.sec respectively were obtained for
tubular reactor as compared with reaction conversion and rate constant of 63.4% and 0.127
L/mol.sec respectively for CSTR as temperature varies. For PFR with a reactor volume of 0.40
liter, reaction conversion varies from 50.4 % to 39.2 % corresponding to flow rates of 50 ml/min
to 80 ml/min respectively. In case of CSTR with adjusted reactor volume of 1.5 liter, reaction
conversion varies from 46.2% to 44.8% corresponding to feed rate values from 50 ml/min to 80
ml/min. In both cases of PFR and CSTR, residence time decreases with increased feed rate and
this leads to decreased values of reaction conversion for both types of reactors. The results
obtained in this investigation may be useful in maximizing the industrial level production of
desired product and to predict the type of flow reactor more suitable for ethyl acetate
saponification reaction.
Danish, Mohd & Al Mesfer, Mohammed. (2015). A Comparative Study of Saponification
Reaction in a PFR and CSTR. 5. 2231-606.
