WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Maximizing an Intermediate Reactant in a Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor

​
residence time τ
2.5
activation energy ratio
Δ
E
B
Δ
E
A
1.8
This Demonstration determines the temperature that maximizes the exit concentration of the intermediate product in the reaction
A
k
A
→
B
k
B
→
C
taking place in an isothermal continuous stirred-tank reactor; the concentration of species
B
exiting the reactor is
C
B
=
k
A
C
A
(inlet)τ
(1+
k
A
τ)(1+
k
B
τ)
, with
C
A
(inlet)=1
,
C
B
(inlet)=
C
C
(inlet)=0
,
k
A
=
8
10
-Δ
E
A
T
e
, and
k
B
=
15
10
-Δ
E
B
T
e
,
where
k
A
and
k
B
are the reaction rates,
Δ
E
A
and
Δ
E
B
are the activation energies for the two reactions (with
Δ
E
A
=15000
),
T
is the reactor temperature, and
τ
is the reactor residence time.