ABSTRACT

In this experiment, a continuous stirred tank reactor ( CSTR ) in series are used to determine
the concentration response to a step change and pulse input. Firstly the deionised water are
filled in the both two tanks with the sodium chloride are being diluted in the tank one. Than the
deionised water from the tank two are flow through to fill up the three reactors. The flow rates
of the deionised water were set up to 150 mL/min to prevent the overflow of the deionised water
in the reactors. After 10 minutes the initial readings of the conductivity were taken after the
reading are stable. After that, the diluted sodium chloride was flow through the tank after the
valve was set up to position 2. The readings of the conductivity are taken for every 3 minutes
by the programme set up in the computer. The readings were recorded until the conductivity
was closed to each other for every reactor. The results obtained at the 96 minutes are, at QT 1
is 33.10, QT 2 is 33.90 and QT 3 is 33.50. The graph of the conductivity versus time was plotted.
Based on the graph that determine the effect of the step change input to the concentration. The
effect of the step change to the concentration for the 3 reactors is the same. When the step
change of solute concentration was introduced at the feed of the tank 1, the tank will experience
a trasient behavior and the conductivity of solution in tank will increase. The concentration of
solution in reactor will increase in a period until it reached a constant concentration.

INTRODUCTION
In the majority of industrial chemical process, a reactor is the key item of equipment in
which raw materials undergo a chemical change to form desired product. The design and
operation of chemical reactors is thus crucial to the whole success of the industrial operation.
Reactors can widely form, depending on the nature of the feed materials and the products.
Reactors used for water carrying out chemical or physical reactions can be characterized as
ideal or non-ideal, according to the nature of the hydraulic and mixing conditions. One
particular type of process equipment is the continuous stirred tank reactor. In this reactor, it is
important to determine the system response to a change in concentration and this response of
concentration versus time is an indication of the ideality of the system. In contrast, complete
mixing in CSTR reactor produces thr tracer concrentration throughout the reactor to be the same
as the effluent concentration. In other word, in an ideal CSTR, at any travel time, the
concentration down the reactor is idential to the composition within the CSTR (Hoboken et. al.,
2005).
The Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors in Series unit is designed to follow the dynamics
of the perfectly mixed multi-stage process. Dynamic behaviour can be studied as can multistage chemical reaction. Bench mounted and self-contained, the unit requires only to be
connected to a single phase electrical supply for operation. A self-contained bench mounted
small scale unit fitted with three continuous stirred reactors in series which are fed from two 5
litre tanks. Each reactor is fitted with a conductivity probe.
There are three reactor vessels connected in series, each containing a propeller agitator
driven by a variable speed electric motor. Two reagent vessels and two variable speed feed
pumps feed reagents into the first reactor in line. For certain experiments the feed can be
connected to the third reactor and a dead-time coil, also positioned on the vacuum formed
plinth. Each reactor and the exit port of the dead-time coil are fitted with accurate conductivity
probes for monitoring the process.
Conductivity is displayed on a digital meter on the console through a selector switch and all
four probes can be connected to the optional Armfield data logging accessory CEX-304IFD. A
dead-time residence coil can also be attached to the exit of the last reactor in the series.

OBJECTIVES
1) To determine the effect of step changes to the concentration.

THEORY
The CSTR is the idealized opposite of the well-stirred batch and tubular plug-flow reactors.
CSTR run at steady state with continuous flow of reactants and products. The feed is assumes
a uniform composition throughout the reactor which means exit stream will has the same
composition as in the tank.

Figure 1:Different between batch, plug flow reactor and cstr

Figure 2:Two tanks in series. The output of the first tank is the input of the second tank.

General Mole Balance Equation

Assumptions

1) Steady state therefore

2) Well mixed therefore rA is the same throughout the reactor

Rearranging the generation

In terms of conversion

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL

-

Distillation water, Sodium Chloride, Continuous reactor in series, Stirrer system, Feed
Tanks, Waste Tank, Conductivity meter, Dead time coil and Stopwatch

PROCEDURE
Experiment 1: The Effect of Step Change Input
In this experiment a step-change input would be introduced and the progression of the tracer
will be monitored via the conductivity measurements in all the three reactors.
1. Tank 1 and tank 2 was filled up with 20 L feeds deionizer water.
2. 300g of Sodium Chloride was dissolved in tank 1until the salts dissolve entirely and the
solution is homogenous.
3. Three way valve (V3) was set to position 2 so that deionizer water from tank 2 will flow
into reactor 1.
4. Pump 2 was switched on to fill up all three reactors with deionizer water.
5. The flow rate (Fl1) was set to 150 ml/min by adjusting the needles valve (V4). Do not
use too high flow rate to avoid the over flow and make sure no air bubbles trapped in
the piping. The stirrers 1, 2 and 3 were switched on.
6. The deionizer water was continued pumped for about 10 minute until the conductivity
readings for all three reactors were stable at low values.
7. The values of conductivity were recorded at t0.w
8. The pump 2 was switched off after 5 minutes. The valve (V3) was switched to position
1 and the pump 1 was switched on. The timer was started.
9. The conductivity values for each reactor were recorded every three minutes.
10. Record the conductivity values were continued until reading for reactor 3 closed to
reactor 1.
11. Pump 2 was switched off and the valve (V4) was closed.
All liquids in reactors were drained by opening valves V5 and V6

RESULT
FT : 150 mol/min

TT1 : 29.2 C

Time (min)
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
33
36
39
42
45
48
51
54
57
60
63
66
69
72
75
78
81
84
87
90
93
96

TT2 : 29.9C
QT1 (ms)
7.02
11.50
18.10
20.00
26.50
28.80
30.20
31.60
32.30
32.30
32.80
32.80
32.60
32.80
33.00
33.20
33.70
33.90
33.60
33.70
33.60
33.70
33.60
33.60
33.60
33.50
33.60
33.40
33.50
33.60
33.30
33.50
33.10

TT3: -32768.0C
QT2 (ms)
1.27
4.02
6.31
11.33
15.70
17.80
22.70
25.30
27.50
29.00
30.40
31.30
32.30
32.50
32.60
33.00
33.20
33.70
33.10
33.40
33.70
33.30
33.30
33.50
33.50
33.60
33.60
33.20
33.90
33.90
33.50
33.90
33.90

QT3 (ms)
0.17
1.00
1.90
2.95
6.04
9.10
12.10
14.90
17.63
21.90
24.00
26.10
27.20
29.10
30.30
31.20
31.90
32.50
33.10
33.60
33.10
33.20
32.80
33.20
33.00
33.30
33.10
33.30
33.80
33.80
33.50
33.60
33.50

40
35

Conductivity ,Q (ms)

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Time (min)
Reactor 1

Reactor 2

Reactor 3

. Figure 3 : Conductivity change in time for each reactor in pulse change

SAMPLE CALCULATION
Vi = FA0 (XAi XAi-1)/(-rA)i
Where Vi = volume of reactor i
FAi = molar flow rate of A into the first reactor
XAi = fractional conversion of A in the reactor i
XAi+1 = fractional conversion of A in the reactor i-1
For the first reaction, -rA = kCA1 = kCA0(1-XAi)
v= volumetric flow rate of A = 150mL/min = 0.150 liter/min
For first reactor , V= 20L
(-rA) = kCA1 = kCA1 = kCA0(1-XAi)
7

0 =

XAi+1 = XA0 = 0
Therefore,

Tank 1
Vi = FA0 (XAi XAi-1) / (-rA)i
20 = 0.150 (XA1-0) / 0.158(1-XA1)
XA1 = 0.955

Tank 2
Vi = FA0 (XAi XAi-1) / (-rA)i
20 = 0.150 (XA2-0.955) / 0.158(1-XA2)
XA2 = 0.998

Tank 3
Vi = FA0 (XAi XAi-1) / (-rA)i
20 = 0.150 (XA3-0.998) / 0.158(1-XA3)
XA3 = 1.00

DISCUSSION
In this experiment, we have conducted an experimental procedure to determine how the
step change input would affect the concentration of the salt solution which in this experiment
we used sodium chloride, NaCl. The first step of the experiment was filing the reactor tanks
with 20L of deionized water. Step change input means that we continuously fed the salt
solution, NaCl into the reactor throughout the experiment and through the time the salt solution
will fill all three of the reactors until the first reactor and the third reactor would have an equal
value of conductivity.
We take the reading of the conductivity for the 3 different tanks for every 3 minutes and
plotted graph conductivity versus time. For the experiment, the flow rate was 150 ml/min and
we take 33 readings. We can see the effect of the step change to the concentration from the
graph. Step change is a sudden change in a process variable. For this experiment our variable
that been change is the input. Reactor feedstock is suddenly switched from one supply to
another, causing sudden changes in feed concentration, flow, etc.
As we know the concentration can be calculated using electrical conductivity
measurements and calibration supplied. The concentration is directly proportional to the
conductivity.
The effect of the step change to the concentration for the 3 reactors is the same. When
the step change of solute concentration was introduced at the feed of tank 1, the tank will
experience a transient behavior as shown in the result. The concentration of in the reactor will
increase in a period of time until it has reached a constant concentration. For every reactor it
has its own concentration. Reactor 1 has the highest concentration following tank 2 and 3. The
concentration if increasing because of the feed rate that been opened was the tank 1 that contain
the dissolve chloride.
As the time increased, the concentration of all of the three reactors almost become
constant, that is at the 96 minutes after the valve was switched to position 2. The results obtained
at the 96 minutes are; at QT 1 is 33.10, QT 2 is 33.90 and QT 3 is 33.50. According to the graph,
the concentration at reactor 1; the inlet concentration of sodium chloride diluted was not
constantly increase may be of the factor that the flow rate of the inlet is not exactly constant at
150 mL/min.

The data of the experiment was recorded using a conductivity meter and the readings
were not all accurate as we measured the conductivity of the solution in the reactors
continuously without calibrating it to zero from one reading to another. Thus it may affect the
data readings of the experiment.

CONCLUSION
As for conclusion, the step-change input does effect the concentration at the reactor.
The effect of the step change to the concentration for the 3 reactors is the same. It can be seen
from the result that when the step change of solute concentration was introduced at the feed of
tank 1, the concentration in the tank will increase. As the time increased, the concentration of
all of the three reactors almost become constant. It can be say that the objective of the
experiment is achieved.

RECOMMENDATION
1. Make sure that there are no air bubbles in the piping.
2. Check the tank 1 and 2 before start the experiment to make sure that it full with
deionised water and sodium chloride to make sure that our experiment run properly.
3. When we are doing the experiment the program that used to record the data was not
function. This causes us a high error in reading the data. My recommendation is to
make sure better maintainers of the apparatus.
4. Make sure that the reactor and turbine are cleaned properly. Flush the system with
deionised water until no trances of salt are detected.
5. Make sure that the procedure is exactly the same as what do in the experiment to avoid
any confusion and can cause waste time.
6. Make sure the continuous stirred tank reactor in good condition and always do the
maintenance.
7. The conductivity meter must be always calibrating to zero before measure the solution
in the reactors continuously.
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REFERENCES
1. Elements of chemical reaction, Fourth Edition H. Scott Fogher, Pearson International
Edition, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.
2. Chemical laboratory manual CHE506, faculty of chemical engineering, UITM Shah Alam.
3. Theodore, L. (2012). Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors. Chemical Reactor Analysis
and Applications for the Practicing Engineer, 181207.
doi:10.1002/9781118158630.ch9
4. Anonymous, (n.d). Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs). Retrieved October, 8
2016, from http://www.umich.edu/~elements/5e/asyLearn/bits/cstr/index.htm
5. Anonymous, (n.d). Bioreactors for Metal Bearing Wastewater Treatment. Retrieved
October,

2016,

from

http://www.metal.ntua.gr/~pkousi/e-

learning/bioreactors/page_06.htm
6. Crittenden, J. and Montgomery Watson Harza (Firm)(2005). Water treatment principles
and design. Hoboken, N.J., J. Wiley.

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APPENDICES

12