{ "cells": [ { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "# Tube Diameter effect on Plug Flow Reactors" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "##### Author: Franz Navarro ([CAChemE.org](http://CAChemE.org)) \n", "##### Copyright: Text and images CC-BY / Code MIT - Original source [LearnChemE](http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/EffectOfTubeDiameterOnPlugFlowReactor/)" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "This IPython notebook shows the effect of tube diameter on conversion, temperature, and pressure drop for a plug flow reactor (PFR). The original example came from [this LearnChemE.com simulation](http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/EffectOfTubeDiameterOnPlugFlowReactor/). Specifically, a first-order exothermic reaction takes place in a PFR accounting for the pressure drop and heat transfer through the walls. The user can vary the reactor diameter keeping total feed flow rate constant (by changing the number of parallel reactors, named as \"# equivalent reactors\"). Thus, the total reactor cross section remains constant so its (total) molar feed flow rate does as well.\n", "\n", "![Tube Diameter effect on Plug Flow Reactors](diameter-effect-plug-flow-reactor.gif)\n", "\n", "Notice that, for smaller-diameter reactors, the pressure drop is higher since the volumetric flow rate increases and the residence time is reduced (lowering the conversion). Besides, heat transfer is more efficient for smaller-diameter reactors because the surface area per volume is larger which allow better reaction control. In this simple case, the temperature increases less in the reactor, and this also lowers conversion. The physics being modeled here are the fundamentals of [Microreactors](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microreactor).\n", "\n", "