Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRE) is the field that

studies the rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions and

the design of the reactors in which they take place.

TODAY’S LECTURE
Introduction
Definitions
General Mole Balance Equation
Batch
CSTR
PFR
PBR
 Chemical Reaction Engineering
Chemical reaction engineering is at the heart of virtually
every chemical process. It separates the chemical engineer
from other engineers.
Industries that Draw Heavily on Chemical Reaction
Engineering (CRE) are:
CPI (Chemical Process Industries)
Dow, DuPont, Amoco, Chevron
Materials on the Web and CDROM

http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre/
Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Socratic Questioning
is the
Heart of Critical Thinking

R. W. Paul’s Nine Types of Socratic

Questions
 Let’s Begin CRE
Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRE) is
the field that studies the rates and
mechanisms of chemical reactions and the
design of the reactors in which they take
place.
 Chemical Identity

• A chemical species is said to have reacted

when it has lost its chemical identity.
 Chemical Identity
• A chemical species is said to have reacted
when it has lost its chemical identity.

• The identity of a chemical species is

determined by the kind, number, and
configuration of that species’ atoms.
 Chemical Identity
• A chemical species is said to have reacted
when it has lost its chemical identity.

1. Decomposition
 Chemical Identity
• A chemical species is said to have reacted
when it has lost its chemical identity.

1. Decomposition

2. Combination
 Chemical Identity
• A chemical species is said to have reacted
when it has lost its chemical identity.

1. Decomposition

2. Combination

3. Isomerization
 Reaction Rate
• The reaction rate is the rate at which a
species looses its chemical identity per unit
volume.
 Reaction Rate
• The reaction rate is the rate at which a
species looses its chemical identity per unit
volume.
• The rate of a reaction (mol/dm3/s) can be
expressed as either

the rate of Disappearance: -rA

or as
the rate of Formation (Generation): rA
 Reaction Rate

Consider the isomerization AB

rA = the rate of formation of species A per unit volume

-rA = the rate of a disappearance of species A per unit volume

rB = the rate of formation of species B per unit volume

 Reaction Rate
• EXAMPLE: AB
If Species B is being formed at a rate of
0.2 moles per decimeter cubed per second, ie,

rB = 0.2 mole/dm3/s
 Reaction Rate
• EXAMPLE: AB

rB = 0.2 mole/dm3/s

Then A is disappearing at the same rate:

-rA= 0.2 mole/dm3/s

 Reaction Rate
• EXAMPLE: AB
rB = 0.2 mole/dm3/s

Then A is disappearing at the same rate:

-rA= 0.2 mole/dm3/s

The rate of formation (generation of A) is

rA= -0.2 mole/dm3/s
 Reaction Rate
• For a catalytic reaction, we refer to -rA',
which is the rate of disappearance of
species A on a per mass of catalyst basis.
(mol/gcat/s)

NOTE: dCA/dt is not the rate of reaction

 Reaction Rate
Consider species j:
• rj is the rate of formation of species j per
unit volume [e.g. mol/dm3/s]
 Reaction Rate
• rj is the rate of formation of species j per
unit volume [e.g. mol/dm3*s]

• rj is a function of concentration,
temperature, pressure, and the type of
catalyst (if any)
 Reaction Rate
• rj is the rate of formation of species j per unit
volume [e.g. mol/dm3/s]
• rj is a function of concentration, temperature,
pressure, and the type of catalyst (if any)

• rj is independent of the type of reaction system

(batch reactor, plug flow reactor, etc.)
 Reaction Rate
• rj is the rate of formation of species j per
unit volume [e.g. mol/dm3/s]
• rj is a function of concentration,
temperature, pressure, and the type of
catalyst (if any)
• rj is independent of the type of reaction
system (batch, plug flow, etc.)

• rj is an algebraic equation, not a

differential equation
General Mole Balance
General Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
 CSTR
Mole Balance
Plug Flow Reactor
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:

FA dFA
The integral form is: V
FA 0 rA

This is the volume necessary to reduce the entering molar flow rate (mol/s) from FA0 to the
exit molar flow rate of FA.
 Packed Bed Reactor
Mole Balance
PBR

FA0 FA   rdW  dNdt

A
A

FAdFA
The integral form to find the catalyst weight is: W
FA 0 rA
Reactor Mole Balance Summary
Fast Forward to the Future
Thursday March 20th, 2008

Reactors with Heat Effects

Production of Propylene Glycol in an Adiabatic
CSTR
What are the exit conversion X and exit temperature T?

Solution
Let the reaction be represented by
KEEPING UP
 Separations

Filtration Distillation Adsorption

These topics do not build upon one another

 Reaction Engineering

Mole Balance Rate Laws Stoichiometry

These topics build upon one another

 Heat Effects

Isothermal Design

Stoichiometry

Rate Laws

Mole Balance
Mole Balance Rate Laws
 Heat Effects

Isothermal Design

Stoichiometry

Rate Laws

Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
Batch Reactor Mole Balance
Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor
Mole Balance
Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor
Mole Balance
Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor
Mole Balance
 CSTR
Mole Balance
 CSTR
Mole Balance
Plug Flow Reactor
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:

dFA
FA
The integral form is: V
FA 0 rA
Plug Flow Reactor Mole Balance
PFR:

FA dFA
The integral form is: V
FA 0 rA

This is the volume necessary to reduce the entering molar flow rate (mol/s) from FA0 to the
exit molar flow rate of FA.
Packed Bed Reactor Mole
Balance
PBR
Packed Bed Reactor Mole
Balance
PBR

FA0 FA   rdW  dNdt

A
A
Packed Bed Reactor Mole
Balance
PBR

FA0 FA   rdW  dNdt

A
A
Packed Bed Reactor Mole
Balance
PBR

FA0 FA   rdW  dNdt

A
A
 Packed Bed Reactor Mole
Balance
PBR

FA0 FA   rdW  dNdt

A
A

FAdFA
The integral form to find the catalyst weight is: W
FA 0 rA
Reactor Mole Balance Summary
Reactor Mole Balance Summary
Reactor Mole Balance Summary
Reactor Mole Balance Summary
Chemical Reaction Engineering

Asynchronous Video Series

Chapter 1:
General Mole Balance Equation
Applied to
Batch Reactors, CSTRs, PFRs,
and PBRs
http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre
 Chemical Reaction Engineering
Chemical reaction engineering is at the heart of virtually
every chemical process. It separates the chemical engineer
from other engineers.
Industries that Draw Heavily on Chemical Reaction
Engineering (CRE) are:
CPI (Chemical Process Industries)
Dow, DuPont, Amoco, Chevron
Pharmaceutical – Antivenom, Drug Delivery
Medicine – Tissue Engineering, Drinking and Driving
 Compartments for perfusion
Gastrointestinal
Alcohol Stomach VG = 2.4 l
VG = 2.4 l tG = 2.67 min
Liver

VL = 2.4 l
tL = 2.4 min

Central
VC = 15.3 l
Perfusion interactions between tC = 0.9 min
compartments are shown by arrows.

VG, VL, VC, and VM are -tissue water

volumes for the gastrointestinal,
liver, central and muscle Muscle & Fat
VM = 22.0 l
compartments, respectively.
tM = 27 min

VS is the stomach contents volume.

 Chemical Reaction Engineering
Chemical reaction engineering is at the heart of virtually
every chemical process. It separates the chemical engineer
from other engineers.
Industries that Draw Heavily on Chemical Reaction
Engineering (CRE) are:
CPI (Chemical Process Industries)
Dow, DuPont, Amoco, Chevron
Pharmaceutical – Antivenom, Drug Delivery
Medicine –Pharmacokinetics, Drinking and Driving
Microelectronics – CVD
 Reaction Rate

Consider the isomerization AB

rA = the rate of formation of species A per unit volume

 Reaction Rate
Consider the isomerization AB

rA = the rate of formation of species A per unit volume

-rA = the rate of a disappearance of species A per unit volume

Reactor Mole Balance Summary