Parallel Reactors

Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706

Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

1

Parallel Reactors
Aside the series configuration of reactors, its necessary to study the parallel configuration. Then,
in the following text the mathematical expressions for both PFRs and CSTRs will be shown.






Figure 1. PFRs in parallel configuration
First, we will deduce the optimal relation of X
A1
and X
A2
in order to obtain the maximum global
conversion.
So, were going to remember the expression given for a component A conversion:

According to figure 1, we have the following expressions:

Reorganizing the equation 1 we have:

Similarly:

Replacing 5 and 6 into 3:

Now, replacing 7 and 2 into 1 we obtain:
F
Ao
F
Ao1
F
Ao2
F
A1
F
A2
F
A
V
1
V
2
X
A1
X
A2

Parallel Reactors
Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

2

Thus, were going to introduce a term for flow relations:

Replacing 9 and 10 into 8 and differentiating with respect the flow relation N we have:

So, in order to obtain the maximum conversion we equalize the expression 11 to 0, just like this:

Now, we have the optimal conversion relation:

By this way, we will analyze PFRs and CSTRs parallel configuration taking into account the
expression 12.
1. Parallel PFRs
Remembering the differential equation for PFRs:

Parallel Reactors
Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

3

Differentiating the equation 4 respect X
A
we have:

And replacing 14 into 13 we obtain:

Similarly, we have:

Integrating equations 16 and 17:

And as we said X
A1
=X
A2
we obtain:

Parallel Reactors
Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

4

2. Parallel CSTRs







Figure 2. CSTRs in parallel configuration
Remembering the molar balance of CSTRs:

Replacing equation 4 into 21:

Similarly, we have:

As X
A1
=X
A2
we obtain:
F
Ao
F
Ao1
F
Ao2
F
A1
F
A2
F
A
X
1
X
2
V
1
V
2

Parallel Reactors
Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

5

3. Example
According to the next figure, find a relation for molar flows both in branch D and in branch
E in order to reach the maximum global conversion.




Figure 3. PFRs in series and parallel configuration
In this example we have to apply the mathematical expressions seen for series PFRs. From
the equation 15 we have for a total volume that:

With the properties of an integral we obtain:

So:

Thus, the series PFRs of the branch D can be seen as one reactor with a volume equals to
the addition of the volumes of each reactor.




Figure 4. Representation of figure 3
F
Ao
V=50L V=30L
V=40L
Branch D
Branch E
F
AoD
F
AoE
V=80L
V=40L
Branch D
Branch E
F
Ao
F
AoD
F
AoE

Parallel Reactors
Daniel Sierra Cd.: 244706
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Ing. Ph. D. Herney Ramrez

6

And applying the expression 20 for a maximum conversion we have:

So the relation for the molar flows will be:

In terms of the entrance molar flow:

Bibliography

[1] Ingeniera de la reaccin qumica, [Online]. Available:
http://www.sc.ehu.es/iawfemaf/archivos/materia/00632.htm. [Last access: 02 09 2012].
[2] O. Levenspiel, Ingeniera de las Reacciones Qumicas, Mxico D.F.: Repla S.A., 1987.