INTRODUCTION

Every industrial chemical process is designed to produce economically a desired

product from a variety of starting materials through a succession of treatment steps. The raw
materials undergo a number of physical treatment steps to put them in the form in which they
can be reacted chemically. They then pass through the reactor. The products of the reaction
must then undergo further physical treatment like separations, purification for the final
desired product to be obtained.
The CSTR with single input and single output is shown in Figure 2(a). Usually the
industrial reactors are controlled using linear PID control configurations and the tuning of
controller parameters is based on the linearization of the reactor models in a small
neighbourhood

around

the

stationary

operating

points.

A proportional

integral

derivative controller (PID controller) is a control loop feedback mechanism (controller)

commonly used in industrial control systems.
CSTR has been considered in which temperature of two chemicals is controlled for
better results of mixing. The chemical A and B are mixed together and produce a product.
The jacket temperature is directly proportional to reactor temperature. Our objective is to
control the reactor Temperature by manipulating the jacket temperature.

Figure 2(a): Schematic of the reactor for the CSTR.

PROCEDURE
Reactant Preparation Procedure
1. 0.05 M NaOH and 0.05 M Ethyl Acetate solutions is prepared in two separate 20 liter feed
tanks.
2. The concentration of 0.1 M NaOH solution is to be confirmed by titrating a small amount
of it with 0.1 M HCl using phenolphthalein as indicator. The concentration of ethyl acetate
solution is evaluated by the following manner. First, 0.1 M NaOH solution is added to a
sample of the feed solution such that the 0.1 M NaOH solution is in excess to ensure all of
the ethyl acetate has reacted. This mixture is let to be reacting overnight. On the following
day, the amount of unreacted NaOH is determined by direct titration with standard 0.1 M
HCl. The ethyl acetate real concentration is then recorded.
3. 1 liter of quenching solution of 0.25 M HCl and 1 liter of 0.1 M NaOH is prepared for back
titration.
Effect of Temperature on the Reaction
1. The overflow tube in the reactor is being adjusted to give a desired working volume
(2.5liters). The pump P1 was switched on to start on pumping 1.25 liters of 0.05M
ethyl acetate form the feed tank into reactor. The pump P1 stopped.
2. Then the pump P2 was switch on and starts to pump another 1.25 liters of the 0.05M
NaOH into the reactor. The heater was switched on and the temperature was set to be
30c when the heater is fully immersed. The cooling water being run. The pump P2
was being stopped when the 2.5 liters of volume are reached. The stirrer then being
switches on and the speed was set in the mid-range (180rpm). The time is being
observed. The start time are recorded.
3. 10ml of the 0.25M HCL were quickly measured in a flask.
4. After 1 minute of reaction, sampling valve V7 opened to collect 50ml sample. 10ml of
the 0.25M HCL are immediately added into the sample. The HCL quench the reaction
between ethyl acetate and sodium hydroxide.
5. The mixture was titrated with the 0.1M NaOH to evaluate the amount of un-reacted
HCL. This had provided us with the information to determine the amount NaOH in
feed solution which has reacted.
6. Steps 4 and 5 were repeated for reaction times of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25.

7. The experiment was repeated for reaction temperatures 30C, 35C and 45C.
8. The graph ln(CB/CA) vs. t and ln k vs. 1/T were plotted.
9. The activation energy was found from the ln k vs. 1/T graph.

APPARATUS
Chemicals:
1. Hydrochloric Acid, HCL
To quench the saponification reaction.
2. Sodium Hydroxide, NaOH
To reacts with triglyceride which is Ethyl Acetate to produce glycerol or fatty
acid called soap.
3. Ethyl Acetate
Saponification between Ethyl Acetate and NaOH to produce Sodium Acetate
and Ethanol.
4. Phenolphthalein
Used indicator for titrations, and is another weak acid.
Equipment Description:
1. Continuous stirred tank reactor: Model BP100
Saponification reaction of ethyl acetate by sodium hydroxide is studied
experimentally using cstr
2. 50ml burrete
Measured volumes of NaOH.
3. Conical flask
The conical shape allows the contents to be swirled during experiment.
4. 100ml measuring cylinder
To take 50ml sample of mixture.

Figure 5(a): Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (Model: BP 100)

REFERENCES
Kendall, H.B., An Apparatus for Undergraduate Experiments in Flow System Reaction
Kinetics, Chemical Engineering Progress Symposium Series, vol. 70, no. 63, p. 3-16.
D. Kuheli, P. Sahoo, M. Saibaba, N. Murali, P. Swaminathan, (2011). Kinetic studies on
saponifiaction of ethyl acetate using an innovative conductivity monitoring instrument with
a pulsating sensor, International Journal of Chemical Kinetics.
M.G.Garu, J.M.Nougues, and L.Puigjaner, (2002). Comparative study of two chemical
reactions with different behavior in batch and semibatch reactors, Chemical Engineering
Journal, Vol. 88.
M.Namvar-Mahboub and M.Parizeh, (2012). Experimental study of Lactose hydrolysis and
Separation in CSTR-UF membrane reactor, Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering,
Vol.29, No.3.