The gas phase isomerization
A 
B
is to be carried out in a flow reactor. Experiments were carried out at a volumetric flow rate of 2 dm3/min in a reactor that had the following RTD.
E(t) = 10 e-10t min-1
where t is in minutes and the volumetric flow rate was
(a)When the volumetric flow rate was 2 dm3/min, the conversion was 9.1%. What is the reactor volume?
(b) When the volumetric flow rate was 0.2 dm3/min the conversion was 50%. When the volumetric flow rate was 0.02 dm3/min, the conversion was 91%. Assuming the mixing patterns don't change as the flow rate changes, what will the conversion be when the volumetric flow rate is 10 dm3/min?
(c)This reaction is now to be carried out in a 1 dm3 plug flow reactor at a volume metric flow rate of 1 dm3/min. What will be the conversion?
(d)It is proposed to carry out the reaction in a 10 m diameter pipe where the flow is highly turbulent (Re=106). There are significant dispersion effects. The superficial gas velocity is 1 m/s. If the pipe is 6 m long, what conversion can be expected. If you were unable to determine the reaction order and the specific reaction rate constant in part (b) assume k = 1 min-1 and carry out the calculation!
U of M Doctoral Qualifying Exam May, 2000