METU Chem. Eng. Dept.

Ch.E. 410 Chem. Eng. Lab II

EXPERIMENT 3.2.
TUBULAR FLOW REACTOR
OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the rate law using tubular flow reactor data.
2. To demonstrate the temperature dependence of the reaction and the rate constant.
3. To understand tubular flow reactor performance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the majority of industrial chemical processes, the reactor is the key item of equipment
in so far that the required chemical change of raw materials to form desired products
occur at this point in the whole process. The design and operation of chemical reactors are
thus crucial to the whole success of the industrial operations.
Tubular flow reactors are commonly used in the industry. If the flow field in a tubular
reactor is highly turbulent plug flow assumption is generally made in the design of such
reactors (Fogler, 1992; Smith, 1981; Levenspiel, 1972). Due to mixing in the longitudinal
direction and incomplete mixing in the radial direction, deviations from ideal tubular flow
(plug flow) behaviour are possible. The reaction chosen in this experiment is the
saponification of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) with dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH):
NaOH + EtOAc NaOAc + EtOH
EXPERIMENTAL
Equipment: The equipment that will be used in the experiments is an Armfield CETTubular Flow Reactor. Description of the equipment and details of the operating
instructions are available in the Instruction Manual. A tubular reactor of length 22 m and
volume 0.4 lt is placed in a constant temperature water bath. Temperature of the reactor
was adjusted to the desired value by controlling the water bath temperature which is
heated by heating elements. Two feed tanks contain the reactants which are pumped by
the two positive displacement type pumps through the flowmeters into the inlet feed
pipes. From here they enter the reactor coil. The mean residence time in the coil is a
function of the flowrate, set by the flowmeters. Control of the equipment which is situated
on the front panel, is governed by a mains on/off switch, pump switches, a temperature
scale and stirrer motor switch. (See the manual)
Supply: The chemicals needed in the experiments are 0.1 M NaOH, 0.1 M HCl, 0.1 M
EtOAc and phenolphthalein indicator. Additional equipment needed in the analysis of the
reactants and products are: flasks, pipette, burette, graduate cylinder.

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METU Chem. Eng. Dept.

Ch.E. 410 Chem. Eng. Lab II

Experim ent 3.2.

Tubular Flow Reactor

Procedure:
1. Carry out reaction experiments in the tubular reactor using equal molar flowrates of
the reactants. Repeat these experiments at 4 different space times. Analyze inlet and
outlet concentrations of NaOH. In each run obtain data at different times until steady
state is reached.
2. Repeat tubular flow experiments at 4 different temperatures.
TAKE HOME
1. You are expected to determine the fractional conversion values in each experiment.
2. You should determine the reaction order and rate constants.
3. You should determine the activation energy and an expression for the temperature
dependence of the rate constant.
4. You should calculate the Reynolds and Peclet numbers in your reactor. Comment
and discuss whether deviations from ideal plug flow behaviour are significant or not.
Compare the ideal plug flow reactor volume with the real one. (Ref.3).
NOTE: Bring a graph paper to the experiment.
PRELIMINARY WORK (to be prepared on the notebook)
1. How can you analyze reactants and products of a saponification reaction by titration?
2. Derive the design equation of a plug flow reactor.
3. Read the instruction manual.
4. Make an experimental plan before performing the experiment. Discuss the type of
experiment you would carry out to find the rate law (rate constant and rate order in
PFR).
5. How can you find the activation energy of this reaction?
6. Read Chapter 13 (p. 293-296, 309-317) in Levenspiel related to axial dispersion.
REFERENCES
1. Smith, J.M., Chemical Engineering Kinetics, McGraw Hill Int., 1981.
2. Fogler, H.S., Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, Prentice-Hall Inc., USA,
2nd Ed, 1992.
3. Levenspiel, O., Chemical Reaction Engineering, Third ed.,John Wiley and Sons, New
York, 1999.
4. Armfield CET-Tubular Flow Reactor, Instruction Manual, 1993.

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