ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

SAFE OPERATION OF TUBULAR (PFR) ADIABATIC REACTORS

In an exothermic reaction the temperature will continue to rise as one moves along a plug flow
reactor until all of the limiting reactant is exhausted. Schematically the adiabatic temperature
rise as a function of space time, measured from the reactor entrance, takes the form shown in
Figure 1.

FIGURE 1: Temperature as a function of space time in an adiabatic PFR with

exothermic reaction.

The final adiabatic temperature :

 (−Δ H ) C 
rA Ao
Tad = To 1 +  = To [1 + β ] (1)
 ρ C p To 

is often excessive for highly exothermic systems ( β large) and needs to be avoided. In such
situations the old rule of thumb suggests that we should operate in such a way that the inflection
€  dT 
point, i.e. the point of maximum temperature rise   , is never reached. This implies that
€  dτ  max
* *
we operate with τ < τ where τ is the value of space time at which the inflection point
 d 2T 
 2 = 0 occurs.
 dτ  €
€ €

1
 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

Let us now develop a convenient and simple formula for use by practicing engineers which
would guarantee safe operation. Consider an n-th order irreversible reaction:

n n
−RA = k oe−E RT CAo (1 − x A ) (2)

At adiabatic conditions temperature and conversion are related by the adiabatic line equation
€ T = To (1 + β x A ) (3)

If we define, as in the case of wall cooled reactors, the dimensionless temperature by

€ T − To
θ =γ (4)
To

then conversion in Eq. (3) can be expressed in terms of dimensionless temperature as:
€ θ
xA= (5)
δ

where
δ=β γ (6)
€
with
γ = E RTo (7)
€
The rate of reaction evaluated at adiabatic conditions in terms of dimensionless temperature is
obtained by using the adiabatic line eq (5) to replace conversion. The result is:
€
(θ + γ )  θ n
(−RA ) ad = (−RA ) o eγθ 1 −  (8)
 δ

where the rate evaluated at the feed condition is:

€ n
(−RA ) o = koe E RT o
CAo (9)

The energy balance for adiabatic PFR operation is:

€ dT
ρ Cp = (−Δ H rA ) (−RA ) ad (10)
dτ

Written in terms of dimensionless temperature it becomes:

€  θ n
dθ δ γθ (θ + γ )
= e 1 −  (11)
dτ τ R  δ

2
€
 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

where the characteristic reaction time is:

CAo
τR = (12)
(−RA ) o
The initial condition is
€ τ =θ =0 (13)

We can rewrite Eq. (11) in the most compact way by defining the Damkohler number as the ratio
of characteristic process time and reaction time, i.e.
€
τ (−RA ) o τ
Da = = (14)
τR CAo

Equation (11) and initial condition (13) become:

€
dθ (θ + γ )  θ n
= eγθ 1 −  (15)
d ( Daδ )  δ

At Daδ = 0 θ =0 (16)
€ Now we want to have the reactor “short” enough (limit the conversion achievable) so that we can
d 2θ
€ keep the inflection point = 0 out of the reactor i.e. we do not let it occur in the reactor.
dτ 2

The critical temperature at inflection point, , is obtained by setting

€
d 2θ
2 =0
(17)
d ( Daδ )

which results in an equation for θ = θ inf yielding:

€ γ
θ inf =
2n
[ ]
γ 2 + 4n (γ + δ ) − 2n − γ ; n ≠ 0 (18a)
€
θ inf = δ, n=0 (18b)
€ The result for the zeroth order reaction, eq (18b), can be obtained by applying the L’Hospital rule
to eq (18a). A better approach is to notice that for n = 0 equation 15 indicates that dθ/d(Daδ) > 0
€ always, so that there is no inflection point as the rate of temperature rise keeps rising until all
reactant is depleted. Then at x A = 1, from eq (5) it follows that θ max = δ and therefore Tmax = Tad .

€ 3 € €
 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

We can integrate the differential equation (15) by separating the variables to obtain the critical
value of Daδ * and, hence, of τ *

Daδ * θ inf
* e−γθ (θ + γ )
€
Daδ = ∫ d€(Daδ) = ∫  θ n
dθ (19)
0 0
1 − 
 δ

Clearly for given values of parameters γ , β , δ = βγ , and reaction order n, we can evaluate θ inf
from eq (18a) and then calculate the value of Daδ * by numerically evaluating the integral in eq
€
(19).
€ €
Using then the definitions of Da and€δ we get the criterion for safe operation Daδ < Daδ * which
can be expressed as:
n
ko e−E RTo CAo (−Δ H €rA ) E τ ≤ Daδ *
*
€ (20)
R ρ C p To 2

To get a convenient, easy to remember value of Daδ * , the following approximations are often
made. First, the Arrhenius dependence of the rate constant on temperature is replaced by an
€ exponential dependence, in effect

(θ + γ )
€
eγθ ≈ eθ (21)

Substituting this approximation in eq (15) yields via eq (17) to a new approximate value of the
temperature at inflection point
€
(θ inf ) app = δ − n (22)

Substituting eq (21) and eq (22) into eq (19) yields

€ δ −n δ
e−θ eu
(Daδ ) *
app
= ∫  θ
n −δ
n dθ = δ e ∫ un
du (23)
0 n
1 − 
 δ

The final approximation (which is conservative in nature as it assumes the worst possible case of
zeroth order reaction) ignores the slowdown of the temperature rise due to the consumption of
€ the reactant, which is the same as taking in eq (23).

4
 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

This yields
δ
u δ
(Daδ* ) app,0
= e−δ ∫ e du = e (e )
u −δ
0 (24)
0
= e −δ
[e − 1] = 1 − e = 1
δ −δ
(for large enough δ )

For highly exothermic reactions and clearly ( Daδ * ) = 1.

app, o

€
Substituting this into eq (20) gives the conservative criterion for safe operation.
€
It is constructive to note that this same equation (20a) with time t replacing τ

n
ko e−E RTo CA o (−Δ H ) E t
rA
*

<1 (20a)
R ρ C p To 2

is used to determine the so called “time of no return” or time to explosion in batch systems. This
time to inflection point may be very long for low but becomes quite short if the system of
€
high activation energy is exposed to higher . Hence, chemicals that may be safe to store at
25°C may be explosion prone if exposed to 40 – 50°C!

SAFE OPERATION OF ADIABATIC CSTR

The mass balance for an irreversible n-th order reaction is:

CAo x A = (−RA ) τ (25)

The adiabatic equation relates conversion and temperature
T − To
€ xA = (26)
(−Δ H rA ) CAo ρ C p
Upon substitution of dimensionless temperature we get from eq (25)
1 (θ + γ )  θ n
€ θ = eγθ 1 −  (27)
Dan δ  δ
let
(θ + γ )  θ n
G (θ ) = eγθ 1 −  (28a)
€  δ
1
L (θ ) = θ (28b)
Danδ
€

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 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

We know from before that G is a sigmoidal curve in θ and represents heat generated by reaction.
L is the heat removal rate (i.e., heat removed by sensible heat of the fluid that flows through the
CSTR).
€
We know that up to three intersections are possible between G and L lines. To avoid the
intersection leading to excessively high temperatures we must assure that intersections at low
temperatures are available. The last permissible operating condition is the one when line L is
also tangent to curve G as schematically shown in Figure 2.

FIGURE 2: Schematic of the G, L vs. θ

Clearly as Daδ increases the slope of the L line decreases so that

(Daδ )1 < (Daδ) 2 < ( Daδ) 3 (29)

€
While operating adiabatic temperatures at θ1 and θ 2 are acceptable, θ 3 represents too large a
temperature jump. Hence, we must assure that the L line always intersects the G line at its lower
€ temperature branch. The critical point is reached when L is also tangent to the G line.

€
For safe adiabatic operation we therefore require €

L=G (30)

dL dG
≥ (31)
dθ dθ
€
Applying the above to eqs (28a) and (28b), and using the equality sign in eq (31), we get the
equation for the maximum permissible temperature θ max perm = θ * . The critical value of the space
€
time τ * can be obtained from the critical value of Daδ * , which in turn results from substituting
the expression for θ * into eq (30).
€
€ € 6
€
 ChE 471 Lecture 10 Fall 2005

(θ + γ )
To get a simple, easy to remember expression, usually we again replace eγθ with eθ . This
yields

1 2 
θ* = δ − n +1− (δ − n + 1) − 4 δ € € (32)
2  

The negative sign in front of the square root needs to be taken as we are interested in the lower of
the two temperatures at which the L line could be tangent to the curve G. Then equation (30)
€ yields:
* *
 θ * −n −θ *
(Daδ ) app = θ 1 −  e (33)
 δ

A conservative estimate, with n = 0, yields θ * = 1 and

€
Daδ * ≤ e−1 (34)
€
For safe operation then
€ n
k0 e−E RTo CAo (−Δ H rA ) Eτ
2 ≤ e−1 (35)
R ρ C p To