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Transient response of a tubular reactor to upsets in flow rate
Author(s) -
Ramaswamy Venkatasub,
Stermole F. J.,
McKinstry K. A.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690170121
Subject(s) - residence time distribution , isothermal process , residence time (fluid dynamics) , chemistry , volumetric flow rate , transient (computer programming) , plug flow reactor model , mechanics , volume (thermodynamics) , flow (mathematics) , saponification , thermodynamics , continuous stirred tank reactor , nuclear engineering , chromatography , engineering , physics , computer science , geotechnical engineering , operating system
This study concerns the transient response of a tubular reactor in which a second‐order reaction takes place under isothermal conditions. The reaction studied was the saponification of methyl acetate with sodium hydroxide. Experimental data were obtained in a tubular reactor for flow upsets. Theoretical models using residence time distribution (RTD) techniques have been developed. The study was conducted at 36°C. The reactor was a 13‐ft. long, ¼‐in. diam. copper tube in the form of a spiral with a volume of 110 cc. The agreement obtained between the experimental data and the RTD model predictions was good, verifying that this model is satisfactory for simulation of tubular reactor dynamics. Backmixing was observed in the reactor. This nonideality was accounted for empirically in the RTD model, since backmixing was observed to be mainly a function of flow rate.