Mole Balance for Reactive System

aA + bB  cC + dD

This reaction can be written in terms of limiting reactant, for example A, as

b c d
A+ B  C+ D
a a a

Let nA0 is the initial mole of A and XA is its fraction of conversion

 n A = n A0 (1-X A ) (1)
where, nA is moles of limiting reaction left after reaction.

Similarly, for B, C and D

n b 
n B = n A0  B0  X A 
 n A0 a 
n c 
n C = n A0  C0  X A  (2)
 n A0 a 
n d 
n D = n A0  D0  X A 
 n A0 a 
where, nB0, nC0 and nD0 are the initial moles of B, C and D respectively. Such that,
n 
n B0 = n A0  B0 
 n A0 
n 
n C0 = n A0  C0  (3)
 n A0 
n 
n D0 = n A0  D0 
 n A0 
So, from equations (1) and (2)
dn A dX A dn B
= -n A0 
dt dt dt rxn
dn B b dX A dn B
= - n A0 
dt a dt dt rxn
(4)
dn C c dX A dn C
= n A0 
dt a dt dt rxn

dn D d dX A dn D
= n A0 
dt a dt dt rxn
 b c d
Therefore, the mole balance for the reaction A + B  C + D is
a a a

dn A dX A
= n A,in - n A,out - n A0
dt dt
dn B b dX A
= n B,in - n B,out - n A0
dt a dt
(5)
dn C c dX A
= n C,in - n C,out + n A0
dt a dt
dn D d dX A
= n D,in - n D,out + n A0
dt a dt

Here, in each of the mole balance equations the last term is the dynamic disappearance and generation
terms for the reactants and products, respectively. While deriving these mole balance equations, we
assume that the initial moles of A, B, C and D are constant and does not change with time.