Elements of
Chemical Reaction Engineering
6th Edition



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Essentials of
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Second Edition

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Chapter 2: Conversion and Reactor Sizing

Professional Reference Shelf

R2.2 Space Times, τ, for a Number of Industrial Reactors

Table R2.2-1 Typical Space Time for Industrial Reactors1

Reactor Type Mean Residence Time Range Production Capacity
Batch 15 minutes to 20 hours Few kg/day to 100,000 tons/year
CSTR 10 minutes to 4 hours 10 to 3,000,000 tons/year
Tubular 0.5 seconds to 1 hour 50 to 5,000,000 tons/year

 

Table R2.2-2 Sample Industrial Space Times2

  Reaction Reactor Temperature Pressure atm Space Times
(1) C2H6 → C2H4 + H2 PFR† 860°C 2 1 s
(2) CH3CH2OH + HCH3COOH → CH3CH2COOCH3 + H2O CSTR 100°C 1 2 h
(3) catalytic cracking PBR 490°C 20 1 s < τ < 400 s
(4) C6H5CH2CH3 → C6H5CH=CH2 + H2 PBR 600°C 1 0.2 s
(5) CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 PBR 300°C 26 4.5 s
(6) C6H6 + HNO3 → C6H5NO2 + H2O CSTR 50°C 1 20 min
† The reactor is tubular but the flow may or may not be ideal plug flow.

1Tramboue, Landeghem, and Wauquier, Chemical Reactors, p. 154, (Paris: Editions Technip, 1988; Houston: Gulf Publishing Company, 1988).

2Walas, S.M. Chemical Reactor Data, Chemical Engineering, 79 (October 14, 1985).