RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTION THEORY FOR UNSTEADY STIRRED TANK REACTORS

The classical analysis of reactor kinetics in terms of residence time distributions has been extended to unsteady stirred tank reactors. This allows treatment of unsteady or cyclic reactors within the same theoretical framework used for steady, continuous flow reactors. Residence time distribution functions are defined for the unsteady stirred tank reactor; and at any instant of real time, the performance of the reactor can be evaluated as though it were a steady reactor with equivalent residence time distribution. If the stirred tank is a perfect mixer, the unsteady reactor can be treated as a maximum mixedness reactor with arbitrary residence time distribution. If the unsteady reactor is well-stirred but exhibits micro-segregation, it behaves as a completely segregated system of arbitrary residence time distribution. If the inlet reactant concentration is unsteady as well as the input and output flow rates, then the equations governing yield are generalizations of the maximum mixedness and complete segregation equations for the steady flow reactors. © 1969.