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Wave model for longitudinal dispersion: Application to the laminar‐flow tubular reactor
Author(s) -
Kronberg A. E.,
Benneker A. H.,
Westerterp K. R.
Publication year - 1996
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.690421113
Subject(s) - laminar flow , plug flow reactor model , plug flow , mechanics , dispersion (optics) , flow (mathematics) , laminar flow reactor , range (aeronautics) , boundary value problem , computer science , physics , open channel flow , engineering , mathematics , continuous stirred tank reactor , mathematical analysis , optics , aerospace engineering , chemical engineering
The wave model for longitudinal dispersion, published elsewhere as an alternative to the commonly used dispersed plug‐flow model, is applied to the classic case of the laminar‐flow tubular reactor. The results are compared in a wide range of situations to predictions by the dispersed plug‐flow model as well as to exact numerical calculations with the 2‐D model of the reactor and to other available methods. In many practical cases, the solutions of the wave model agree closely with the exact data. The wave model has a much wider region of validity than the dispersed plug‐flow model, has a distinct physical background, and is easier to use for reactor calculations. This provides additional support to the theory developed elsewhere. The properties and the applicability of the wave model to situations with rapidly changing concentration fields are discussed. Constraints to be satisfied are established to use the new theory with confidence for arbitrary initial and boundary conditions.