Non-ideal flow model for a tubular reactor and a stirred tank reactor in-series, using stimulus-response techniques

Abstract

This work presents an experimental study on a laboratory scale about the hydrodynamic behavior of fluid flow in a tubular reactor and a stirred tank reactor in-series and varying their arrangement. The experiments were carried out using stimulus-response techniques with a tracer solution of sodium chloride in unit pulse form. The experimental results allowed obtaining the Residence Time Distribution curves R_θ vs θ for different reactor arrangements. The results obtained are similar to those reported by Levenspiel for a battery in-series with a plug flow reactor and a perfectly stirred reactor. The difference found with the studied system is that these show dead water in both equipment. The arrangement of the reactors does not modify the graph of Residence Times Distribution obtained, similar to the ideal situation presented in the literature consulted. As a result of the experimental study and the adjustment of the data, a non-ideal flow model was obtained for different kinds of reactors with dead water, connected in-series and with different arrangements. The simulation of the system for different degrees of back mixing in the system reflects a behavior similar to that of series of reactors of this type, but with ideal behavior.