The liquid-phase reaction A + B → C follows an elementary rate law and is carried out isothermally in a flow system. The concentrations of the A and B feed streams are each 2 M before mixing. The volumetric flow rate of each stream is 5 dm³/min, and the entering temperature is 300 K. The streams are mixed immediately before entering. Two reactors are available. One is a gray, 200.0-dm³ CSTR that can be heated to 77°C or cooled to 0°C, and the other is a white, 800.0-dm3 PFR operated at 300 K that cannot be heated or cooled but can be painted red or black. Note that k = 0.07 dm³/mol · min at 300 K and E = 20 kcal/mol.
a. Which reactor and what conditions do you recommend? Explain the reason for your choice (e.g., color, cost, space available, weather conditions). Back up your reasoning with the appropriate calculations.
b. How long would it take to achieve 90% conversion in a 200-dm³ batch reactor with C_A0 = C_B0 = 1 M after mixing at a temperature of 77°C?
c. What would your answer to part (b) be if the reactor were cooled to 0°C?
d. What conversion would be obtained if the CSTR and PFR were operated at 300 K and connected in series? In parallel with 5 mol/min to each?
e. What batch reactor volume would be necessary to process the same amount of species A per day as the flow reactors, while achieving 90% conversion? estimate the cost of the batch reactor.
f. Write a couple of sentences describing what you learned from the problem and what you believe to be the point of the problem.