Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

Summer 9-30-1969

Degree Name

Doctor of Engineering Science in Chemical Engineering

Department

Chemical Engineering

First Advisor

Saul I. Kreps

Second Advisor

Deran Hanesian

Third Advisor

Edward Charles Roche, Jr.

Fourth Advisor

Angelo J. Perna

Fifth Advisor

P. A. Fox

Abstract

Normally it is assumed that the steady state mode of operation is most desirable for the design of the chemical reactor system. However it appears that this assumption may not be correct in many cases.

In the present work disturbances of various types were externally created and forced on a system comprising an isothermal continuous stirred tank reactor. The effects of these purposefully created disturbances were investigated by mathematically modelling the system and simulating it on a digital computer.

The change in reactor performance, as defined by the percentage change in the production rate from the steady state value, can be either an improvement or deterioration compared to the steady state operation depending on the parameters like inlet feed concentration, flow rate, combination of both, reactor temperature etc., on which the disturbance is forced. Of the various parameters considered, feed concentration disturbance resulted in the most improved performance.

The change in reactor performance, as defined by the percentage change in the production rate from the steady state value, can be either an improvement or deterioration compared to the steady state operation depending on the parameters like inlet feed concentration, flow rate, combination of both, reactor temperature etc., on which the disturbance is forced. Of the various parameters considered, feed concentration disturbance resulted in the most improved performance.

The study of the effect of the order of reaction showed that improving performance results for concentration disturbance with increasing order of reaction, due to the increasing non-linearity of the system.

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