Reference no: EM132216394

Nonisothermal reactor

For a first-order exothermic liquid-phase reaction A→P in a perfectly mixed batch reactor, energy balance dictates that the rate of temperature change is governed by ρc_p dT/dt = (ΔH_rxn) r_A - qa where ρ and c_p are respectively the density and the heat capacity of the reaction mixture, ΔH_nxm the heat of reaction, a the area of cooling coils, the flux of heat removal q = h (T-T_o) with h the heat transfer coefficient and T_o the cooling water temperature, and r_A ≡ -dC_A/dt = k₁C_A = A₁exp(-E₁/RT) C_A with A₁ the pre-exponential factor, E₁, the activation energy. R the gas constant. Plug in expression for q and r_A and reduce the governing equation into dimensionless form. Find dimensionless groups affecting the temperature stability of the reactor: assign each its proper physical meaning.