ABSTRACT

Reactor is used in the chemical industry for million processes. One of

them is tubular reactor. A tubular reactor is vessel trough which flow is
continuous. Usually happen at steady state and configured (well order) so
that conversion of the chemical and other dependent variables are function
of potion within the reactor rather than time. These experiments are
conducted in the SOLTEQ Tubular Flow Reactor (Model: BP 101). The
solution was reacted in a PFR and the data was tabulated. The graphs of the
conversion against residence time were also constructed. This experiment
divide by two which are to examine the effect of pulse input in the system of
tubular reactor and the other is to examine the effect of step change input in
a tubular reactor. This experiment is conducted also to compare the
residence time distribution (RTD) graph for these two experiments. The result
for this experiment is shown that the residence times are linearly
proportional to the conversion. The objective for this experiment was
achieved.
INTRODUCTION

The chemical reactors are something that is crucial and important in

chemical industries. It is the most important things as it is the place for the
reaction to happen. The type of reactor must be suited with the reaction that
we seek for. One of the examples of the reactors is Plug Flow Reactor (PFR).

The Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) can also be named as Turbulent Flow Reactor
(TBR) or Piston Flow Reactor. A tubular reactor is vessel trough which flow is
continuous. Usually happen at steady state and configured (well order) so
that conversion of the chemical and other dependent variables are function
of potion within the reactor rather than time. It used for reaction in
continuous, flowing systems in a shape of cylinder. The solution that flow in
the reactor are describe as Plugs. In an ideal tubular reactor, the fluids flow
as if they were solid plugs or pistons and reaction time is same or fixed
residence time: Any fluid (plug) that enters the reactor at time will exit the
reactor at time, t +, where is the residence time of the reactor. The
tubular reactor resembles the batch reactor in providing initially high driving
force which diminishes as the reactions progress down the tubes.

Tubular reactor is used for kinetic performance reasons in a large numbers of

chemical processes. The design of the systems with tubular reactor involves
recognition of the many important differences between continuous stirred-
tank reactor (CSTR) and plug-flow tubular reactor (PFR). The most important
distinction is the importance of the feed condition in tubular reactor system,
particularly the reactor inlet temperature. Reactor feed preheating becomes
an important design parameter, which typically involve trade-off between
steady-state economic and dynamic controllability. Besides, high
temperature reaction usually happens in the PFR. This is because the PFR
can withstand the high temperature of a reaction. PFR have a high
volumetric unit conversion and can run for a long periods of time without
maintenance. reactor inlet concentration are also more critical in tubular
reactor system, because of the parametric sensitivity and the potential for
complex dynamic That is why it is widely used in the manufacturing of
chemicals.

OBJECTIVE

Experiment 1:

1. To examine the effect of a pulse input in tubular flow reactor.

2. To construct the residence time distribution (RTD) function for tubular
flow reactor.

Experiment 2:

1. To examine the effect of a step changes input in tubular flow reactor.

2. To construct the residence time distribution (RTD) function for tubular
flow reactor.
THEORY

The chemical reaction is considered as;

aA + bB cC + dD

Residence time is the average amount of time that a particle spends

in a particular system. The residence time is a representation of how long it
takes for the concentration to significantly change in the sediment.

V TFR
=
v0

Where VTFR is the reactor volume and v0 is the total feed flow rate. In this
experiment, we adjust the pump until the flow rate become constant. The
flow rate for each experiment is variable but the reactor volume remains
constant for every experiment.

Conversion is an improved way of quantifying exactly how far has the

reaction moved, or how many moles of products are formed for every mole
of A has consumed. Conversion X A is the number of moles of A that have
reacted per mole of A fed to the system
 moles of A reacted
X A=
moles of A fed

A reaction rate constant, k quantifies the rate of a chemical reaction. The

reaction rate is often found to have the form

-rA = kCACB

Where CA and CB are the concentration of the species A and B respectively,

each raised to the powers and , while k is the reaction rate constant. The
exponents and are the partial
reaction orders. In this experiment, we can calculate the reaction rate
constant, k by the following formula.

v0 1
k= ( )
V TFR CA 0 1 X

Where, k is the reaction rate constant, v0 is the total inlet flow rate of

solutions, VTFR is the reactor volume,C A0 is the inlet concentration of

reactant NaOH in the reactor, and X is the percentage of conversion.

Rate of reaction is defined as the rate of disappearance of reactants or

the rate of formation of products. Rate of reaction can describe about how
fast a number of moles of one chemical species reaction to form another
species. Rate of reaction of each species corresponds respectively to their
stoichiometric coefficient. As such
 rA rB rC rD
= = =
a b c d

The negative sign indicates reactants while the positive sign indicates
products.

A usual equation for rate of reaction is:

-rA = kCACB

Where CA and CB are the concentration of the species A and B respectively,

each raised to the powers and , while k is the reaction rate constant. The
exponents and are the partial
reaction orders. In this experiment, we can calculate the reaction rate
constant, k by the following formula

n=+

In the experiment that we had done, and is 1 each. The overall

order is 2 and the
experiment is second order. So, we had used the following formula to find the
rate of reaction.

-rA = kCACB

Since CA0 = CB0

-rA = kCA2
-rA = k(CA0(1-X))2
-rA = kCA02(1-X)2
Tubular reactors are one type of flow reactors. It has continuous inflow and
outflow of materials. In the tubular reactor, the feed enters at one end of a
cylindrical tube and the product stream leaves at the other end. The long
tube and the lack stirring prevent complete mixing of the fluid in the tube.

In an ideal tubular flow reactor, which is called plug flow reactor, specific
assumptions are made regarding the extent of mixing:
1. No mixing in the axial direction.
2. Complete mixing in the radial direction.
3. A uniform velocity profile across the radius.
APPARATUS AND METERIAL

Apparatus:

Tubular flow reactor (model: BP 101-B)

stopwatch

Material:

Sodium Chloride Solution (NaCl 0.025M)

Deionised water (H2O)

PROCEDURE

General start-up

1) all valve were unsure initially closed except valve (v7)

2) 20 liter of salt solution was prepared. For example. sodium chloride
(NaCl 0.025M)
3) The feed tank B2 was filled with NaCl solution.
4) the power of the control panel was turned up
 5) The water deionized was connected to the laboratory water supply.
Valve V3 was opened and tank B1 was filled up with the deionizer
water. Valve V3 was closed.
6) Valve V2 and V10 were opened. Pump P1 was switch on. P1 flow
controlled was adjusted to obtain a flowrate of approximate 700 ml/min
at flow meter F1-01. the conductivity display was observed at low
value then the valve V10 was closed and pump P1 was switch off-
7) Valve V6 and V12 were opened. Pump P2 was switch on. P2 flow
controlled was adjusted to obtain a flowrate of approximate 700 ml/min
at flow meter F1-02. A valve V12 was closed and pump P2 was switch
off.
8) The unit was ready for the experiments begin.

EXPERIMENT 1: Pulse input in a Tubular reactor

1) Perform the general start up procedure

2) Open valve V9 and switch pump P1
3) Adjust pump P1 flow controller to give a constant flow rate of deionizer
water into the reactor R1 at approximately 700 ml/min at FI-01
4) Let the deionizer water to continue flowing through the reactor until
the inlet (QI-01) and the outlet (QI-02) conductivity values are stable at
low levels. Record both conductivity values.
5) Close valve V9 and switch pump P1.
6) Open valve V11 and switch on pump P2. start the timer simultaneously
7) Adjust pump P2 flow controller to give a constant flowrate of salt
solution into the reactor R1 at 700 ml/min at FI-02
8) Lets the salt solution to flow for 1 minute, then reset and restart the
timer. This will start time at the average pulse input.
9) Close valve V11 and switch off pump P2. Then quickly open valve V9
and switch pump P1
10) make sure the deionizer water flowrate is always maintained at
700 ml/min by adjusting P1 flow controller
11) start recording both the inlet (QI-01) and outlet (QI-02)
conductivity values at regular intervals of 30 second
12) Continue recording the conductivity values until all readings are
almost constant and approach the stable low level values
EXPERIMENT 2: Step change in a Tubular flow Reactor

1) Perform the general start-up procedure

2) Open valve V9 and switch on pump P1
3) Adjust pump P1 flow controller to give a constant flow rate of deionizer
water into the reactor R1 at approximately 700 ml/min at FI-01
4) Let the deionizer water to continue flowing through the reactor until
the inlet (QI-01) and the outlet (QI-02) conductivity values are stable at
low levels. Record both conductivity values.
5) Close valve V9 and switch off pump p1
6) Open valve V11 and switch on pump P2. Start the timer simultaneously
7) Start recording both the inlet (QI-01) and outlet (QI-02) conductivity
values at regular intervals of 30 second
8) Continue recording the conductivity values until all the reading is
almost constant.

General shut-down procedure

1) Both pump P1, P2 and P3 are switch off. Valve V2 and V6 are closed
2) The heater were switch off
3) the cooling water keep circulating through the reactor while the stirrer
motor is running to allow the water jacket to cold down the room
temperature
4) All the liquid were drained from unit by opening valve v1 and v16 if the
equipment is not going to be used for long period time. The feed tank
were rinsed with clean water
5) The power for control panel was turned off.
DATA AND RESULT

Experiment 1

Flow rate = 0.4 L/min

Time Conductivity (mS/cm)

inlet outlet
(min)
0.0 0.1 0.1
0.5 0.0 2.0
1.0 0.0 3.4
1.5 0.0 3.0
2.0 0.0 0.6
2.5 0.0 0.0
3.0 0.0 0.0
3.5 0.0 0.0

C(t) E(t) Tm 2 S3
(min) (min) (min3)
0.1 0.0218
2.0 0.4364
3.4 0.7418
3.0 0.6546
0.6 0.1309
0.0 0.0000 3.9711 30.0222 -2.0116
0.0 0.0000
0.0 0.0000
 Time C(t) E(t) tE(t) (t-tm) (t-tm)2 (t-tm)3
(min) E(t) E(t)
0.0 0.1 0.0218 0.0000 -3.9711 0.3438 -1.3652
0.5 2.0 0.4364 0.2182 -3.4711 5.2580 -18.2510
1.0 3.4 0.7418 0.7418 -2.9711 6.5482 -19.4553
1.5 3.0 0.6546 0.9819 -2.4711 3.9972 -9.8775
2.0 0.6 0.1309 0.2618 -1.9711 0.5086 -1.0025
2.5 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -1.4711 0.0000 0.0000
3.0 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -0.9711 0.0000 0.0000
3.5 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -0.4711 0.0000 0.0000

conductivity vs time
4
3.4
3.5
3
3
2.5
2
2
conductivity
1.5
1
0.6
0.5
0.1 0 0 0
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Time t

Graph 1: graph of conductivity vs time for experiment 1

 The residance time distribution function
0.8 0.74
0.7 0.65
0.6
0.5 0.44
0.4
E (t)
0.3
0.2 0.13
0.1
0.02 0 0 0
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Time t

Graph 2: graph of the residence time distribution function for experiment 1

Experiment 2
Flow rate = 0.4 L/min

Time Conductivity (mS/cm)

inlet outlet
(min)
0.0 0.4 0.0
0.5 2.5 0.0
1.0 2.7 0.0
1.5 2.8 0.0
2.0 2.8 0.5
2.5 2.9 2.9
3.0 2.9 3.4
3.5 2.9 3.6
4.0 2.9 3.6
4.5 2.9 3.6

C(t) E(t) Tm 2 S3
(min) (min) (min3)
0.0 0.0000
0.0 0.0000
0.0 0.0000
0.0 0.0000
0.5 0.0673
2.9 0.3901
3.4 0.4574
3.6 0.4843 3.3035 0.5528 -0.0499
3.6 0.4843
3.6 0.4843

Time C(t) E(t) tE(t) (t-tm) (t-tm)2 (t-tm)3

(min) E(t) E(t)
0.0 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -3.3035 0.0000 0.0000
0.5 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -2.8035 0.0000 0.0000
1.0 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -2.3035 0.0000 0.0000
1.5 0.0 0.0000 0.0000 -1.8035 0.0000 0.0000
2.0 0.5 0.0673 0.1346 -1.3035 0.1144 -0.1491
2.5 2.9 0.3901 0.9753 -0.8035 0.2519 -0.2024
3.0 3.4 0.4574 1.3722 -0.3035 0.04213 -0.0128
3.5 3.6 0.4843 1.6951 0.1965 0.0187 0.0037
 4.0 3.6 0.4843 1.9572 0.6965 0.2349 0.1636
4.5 3.6 0.4843 2.1794 1.1965 0.6933 0.8296

conductivity vs time
4 3.6 3.6 3.6
3.4
3.5
2.9
3
2.5
2
conductivity
1.5
1
0.5
0.5
0 0 0 0
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Time t

Graph 3: graph of conductivity vs time for experiment 2

 The residance time distribution function
0.6
0.48 0.48 0.48
0.5 0.46
0.39
0.4

0.3
E (t)
0.2

0.1 0.07
0 0 0 0
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Time t

Graph 4: graph of the residence time distribution function for experiment 2

SAMPLE CALCULATION
EXPERIMENT 1: Pulse input in a Tubular reactor

all integral apply Simpsons rule

C(t) = conductivity outlet
h = (2.0 0)/4 = 0.5

1) Residence distribution function; E(t)

C (t )
E(t )=
C ( t ) dt

At time = 0 min, c(t) = 0.1

h
3.5
0 C (t) dt = 3 [0.1 + 4(2.0) +2(3.4) +4(3.0) +2(0.6) +0+0+0] =

4.5833 gmin/m3

C (t)
E(t)=
C ( t ) dt
0.1
E(t)=
4.5833

E ( t ) = 0.0218

2) Mean Residence Time; tm

t E ( t ) dt
tm=
E ( t ) dt

Assume; E ( t ) dt = 1
 h = (2.0 0)/4 = 0.5

h
0 3.5 t E (t) dt = 3 [0.0 + 4(0.2182) +2(0.7418) +4(0.9819)

+2(0.2618) +0+0+0] = 3.9711

t E ( t ) dt
tm=
E ( t ) dt

3.9711
tm=
1

tm = 3.9711

3)
second moment variant 2

2 = (t-tm)2 E(t) dt

h
0 3.5 (t-tm) 2 E (t) dt = 3 [0.3438 + 4(5.258) +2(6.5482) +4(3.9972)

+2(0.5086) +0+0+0] = 30.0222

2 = (t-tm)2 E(t) dt = 30.0222

= 5.4793

4) Third moment Skewness S3

1
S3 = 3/2 (t-tm)3 E(t) dt
 h
3.5
0 (t-tm) 3 E (t) dt = 3 [-1.3652 + 4(-18.251) +2(-19.4553) +4(-

9.8775) +2(-1.0025) +0+0+0] = -25.79997

3/2 = 5.4793 3/2

=12.8259

1
S3 = 3 /2 (t-tm)3 E(t) dt

1
S3 = 12.8259 (-25.79997 )

S3 = -2.0116

EXPERIMENT 2: Step change in a Tubular flow Reactor

Calculation in experiment were same as calculation in experiment 1

Also assume the;

all integral apply Simpsons rule

C(t) = conductivity outlet
h = (2.0 0)/4 = 0.5
DISCUSSION

The tubular reactor is a vessel through which flow is continuous,

usually at steady state and configured so that the conversion of the chemical
and other dependent variables are functions of position within the reactor
rather than time. In an ideal tubular reactor, the fluids flow as if they were
solid plugs or pistons and reaction time is same or fixed residence time: Any
fluid (plug) that enters the reactor at time will exit the reactor at time, t +,
where is the residence time of the reactor. The tubular reactor resembles
the batch reactor in providing initially high driving force which diminishes as
the reactions progress down the tubes.
There are two experiments for tubular reactor which are pulse input in
tubular reactor for experiment 1 while step change input in tubular reactor
for experiment 2. For the first experiment, pulse input in tubular reactor the
objective to achieve were to examine the effect of a pulse input in tubular
flow reactor and to construct the residence time distribution (RTD) function
for tubular flow reactor. However for next experiment were to obtain the
effect of a step input in a tubular reactor and to construct the residence time
distribution (RTD) function for tubular flow reactor. Base on the result
collected from both experiment, the residence time distribution function
(RTD) and conductivity C(t) were plotted against times.
From the both graph have been plotted, we can see the trend for these
two graphs are totally different. For experiment 1, the trend of graph for the
residence time distribution function (RTD) for pulse input is increase and then
for a few minute is decrease until value zero then constant. For experiment
2, the trend of graph for the residence time distribution function (RTD) for
pulse input is constant to zero and then for a few minute is increase until
value of E(t) 0.4843 then constant.

In these experiments, the mean resident time tm for experiment 1 is

3.9711 min while for experiment 2 is 3.3035 min. For second moment variant
2 at experiment 1 is totally 30.0222 min higher than experiment 2, 0.5528
min. lastly, third moment Skewness S3 for experiment 1 is -2.0116 min3, while
at experiment 2 is -0.0499 min3. Both value of third moment skewness is
negative.

This experiment shows there are the differences between pulse input
and step change input in tubular reactor method. One of the differences is
tracer of the input. In a pulse input an amount of tracer substance suddenly
injected in one shot into the feed stream entering the reactor in a short times
as possible. However, for step input it consider a constant rate of tracer
addition at initiated at time t=0.

The tubular reactor normally used in some of the following application

which are at large scale reaction, fast reaction, continuous production and
the higher temperature reaction.

CONCLUSION

In this experiment the objective of the experiment were achieved. As

conclusion, there are difference foe pulse input and step change input in
tubular reactor. The residence time distribution function (RTD) one of the
differences. For (RTD) graph in experiment 1 and 2 are totally different.
Graph for pulse input in experiment is increase and then decrease to the
value zero. While for the step change input, the graph is increase from value
then constant at certain value.

RECOMMENDATION

There are few suggestion to get more accurate result for this experiment,
there are

ensure there are no leakage at the valve on the unit

make sure valve open or close, follow the general start up procedure
carefully
For both experiments, do more trial to get the average value of
conductivity for both inlets, in order to get more accurate result.

REFERENCE

1. Levenspiel O., Chemical Reaction Engineering, John Wiley (USA),

1972.

2. Fogler H.S., Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd Ed.,

Prentice Hall (USA) , 1999. )
3. Smith J.M., Chemical Engineering Kinetics, McGraw Hill (Singapore),
1981. ) Astarita G., Mass Transfer with Chemical Reaction, Elsevier,
1967.

4. Scott Fogler, Element of Chemical reaction Engineering, Fourth

Edition H., Pearson International Edition, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

5. Batch Reactor Kinetic Analysis. Jan 15, 2005.

www.csupomona.edu/~tknguyen/che435/Notes/P5-kinetic.pdf ,
retrieved in October 2016.

6. UITM manual lab report

7. Wikipedia , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug_flow_reactor_model
,retrieved in August.