Reactores

Biorremediación

Valeria Ochoa, PhD

References

• Shuler, M.L., and Kargi, F. Bioprocess Engineering: Basic

Concepts, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, 2001

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Reactors

Law of conversion of mass

Accumulation rate = Input – Output + Generation - Consumption

Accumulation rate = Input – Output + Rxn

Accumulation rate: change over time in the amount of species in the fluid within the
control volume

Reactors

Law of conversion of mass

Q,C0

Q, C

Where:
V , C, rC
dC/dt = accumulation rate
V = volumen
Q = flow rate
C0 = initial concentration
C = concentration
rc = reaction rate

Accumulation rate: change over time in the amount of species in the fluid within the
control volume

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Reactors

Definition of terms

Hidraulic retention time = Ɵ

V
Q=
Q
Where:

Ɵ = hidraulic retention time (time)

V = volumen (volume)
Q = flow rate (volume/time)

Reactors

Definition of terms

At steady state:
dC
=0
dt

http://www.thetruthaboutforensicscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/steady-state.png

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Steps:

1. Draw a schematic of the reactor

2. Define a control volume and variables

3. Write mass balance

4. Solve equation

5. Check units

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor
Reactants are first placed inside the reactor and then allowed to react over time.
Batch reactors are closed systems that operate under unsteady-state conditions.

Batch reactors used in diary industry

(Copyright DCI Inc., St. Cloud, MN)

http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Images/Reactors/Batch/gen.jpg

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor

Conteo de BSR: formación

de precipitado de sulfuro de
hierro (izq.) y ausencia de
BSR en la dilución 10-6 (der)

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor

1) Draw a schematic of the batch reactor

2) Define a control volume and variables

V , rC

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor

3) Write the mass balance

V ,C, rC

dC
V = VrC
dt
dC
= rC
dt

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor

4) Solve the diferential equation if

dC V , C, rC
= rC rC = -kC
dt

dC
= −kC C = C0 e - kt
dt

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Batch reactor

Ex. A batch reactor is designed for a 1st order rxn and the required removal or
conversion of A is 90%. If the rate constant, k, is 0.35 h-1. What is the required
residence time in hours for the batch reactor?

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR)
Reactants are continuously introduced into the reactor, while products are
continuously removed. CSTR are open systems that operate under steady-state
conditions. Complete mixing within the reactor is assumed

The CSTR is a conventional digester

design consisting of an above-ground
tank with a fixed pitched roof. Biogas is
collected at the top of the tank and is
pumped to a separate gas holder.
Digestate is removed from the base of
the digester tank.

CSTR in industrial applications

http://www.marchesbiogas.com/cs_tank_system

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR)

Sistema biológico – físico

químico de tratamiento de
drenaje ácido de mina LIA –
USFQ. Fotografía por
Lorena Gallardo:

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR

1) Draw a schematic of the CSTR

2) Define a control volume and variables

Q,C0

Q, C

V , C, rC

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Q,C0
CSTR

3) Write the mass balance

Q, C

Assumptions: V , C, rC
dC
Steady state conditions: =0
dt

dC
V = QC0 - QC + VrC
dt
0 = QC0 - QC + VrC

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Q,C0
CSTR

4) Solve the differential equation if

Q, C

V , C, rC
0 = QC0 - QC + VrC

rC = -kC

C0
C=
1+ kΘ

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR

Ex. A CSTR is designed for a 1st order rxn and the required removal or conversion of
A is 90%. If the rate constant, k, is 0.35 h-1. What is the required residence time in
hours for the CSTR?

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series
Reactants are continuously introduced into the reactor, while products are
continuously removed. CSTR in series

Two fully-automated 0.6 L Parr reactors

connected in series:
- Pressure rated to 100 bar
- Operational temperature range: 0-325
°C
- Can be modified to accommodate
alternative feed gases
- Mass flow controller for gas uptake
monitoring

CSTR in series, iPRD, University leeds, UK

http://www.iprd.leeds.ac.uk/facilities/cstr-parallel-reactors.html

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series

1) Draw a schematic of the CSTR

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series

2) Define a control volume and variables

Assumptions:

1) Steady state conditions

Q,C0 2) All reactors have the same
Q,C1 volume

V1= V2 = … = Vn
Q,C2
V1 , C1, rC1, 3) Ɵ1 = Ɵ2 = … = Ɵn

V2 , C2, rC 2

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series

4) Solve the differential equation if

rC = -kC
Reactor 1 Reactor 2
2
C1 1 C2 1 C2 ⎛ 1 ⎞
= = =⎜ ⎟
C0 1+ kΘ C1 1+ kΘ C0 ⎝ 1+ kΘ ⎠

n
Cn ⎛ 1 ⎞
=⎜ ⎟
C0 ⎝ 1+ kΘ ⎠

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series

Ex. A 3 CSTR in series are designed for a 1st order rxn and the required removal or
conversion of A is 90%. If the rate constant, k, is 0.35 h-1. What is the required
residence time in hours for the 3 CSTR in series?

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Residence time for different reactors for a 1st order rxn with k equal
to 0.35 h-1 and a conversion of A of 90%.

Reactor type Ɵ (h)

Batch 6.6
CSTR 25.7
CSTR in series (3) 9.9 (3.3)

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

CSTR in series

Ex. Determine the number of completely mixed chlorine contact chambers each
having a retention time of 30 min that would be required in a series arrangement to
reduce the bacterial count in treated effluents from 106 to 14,5 microorganisms/mL if
the first order removal constant is 6,1 h-1.

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Plug-flow reactor (PFR)
Plug flow, or tubular, reactors consist of a hollow pipe or tube through which reactants
flow.
Fluid passes through the reactor with little or non longitudinal mixing and exits the
reactor in the same sequence.

Common industrial uses of tubular

reactors are in gasoline production, oil
cracking, synthesis of ammonia from its
elements, and the oxidation of sulfur
dioxide to sulfur trioxide. Pictured is a
tubular reactor used in research on the
oxidation of nitrogen compounds. It
reaches temperatures of 800 -
1100°C.

PFR in industrial applications

http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/Reactors/PFR/PFR.html

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Plug-flow reactor (PFR)

Representación en 3D del Fotobiorreactor tubular de 10 L instalado.

fotobiorreactor tubular y sus Iluminación provista por 5 lámparas de luz fría
medidas del LIA-USFQ OSRAM de 20W y aireación provista por una
bomba de aire

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 Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Plug-flow reactor (PFR)

1) Draw a schematic of the PFR

2) Define a control volume and variables

Dx

Q,C0 Q, C
Q, C x Q, C x + Dx

x x + Dx
L

DV = ADX

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors Dx

Plug-flow reactor (PFR) Q, C x Q, C x + Dx

x x + Dx
3) Write the mass balance

dC
DV = QC x - QC x + Dx + DVrC
dt

DV = ADX

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors Dx

Plug-flow reactor (PFR) Q, C x Q, C x + Dx

x x + Dx
3) Write the mass balance

dC æ dC ö
=Uç- ÷ + rC
dt è dX ø

U = fluid flow rate (m/d)

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors Dx

Plug-flow reactor (PFR) Q, C x Q, C x + Dx

x x + Dx
3) Write the mass balance

dC dC
= -U + rC
dt dX
Assumptions:

1) Steady state conditions

dC
=0
dt

dC
U = rC
dX

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors Dx

Plug-flow reactor (PFR) Q, C x Q, C x + Dx

x x + Dx
4) Solve the differential equation if

C = C0 e - kQ Batch reactor

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Plug-flow reactor (PFR)

Ex. Assuming that a second order kinetics apply, compare the required volume of a
CSTR with the volume of a PFR to achieve 90% reduction

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 Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Vertical continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR, left) and horizontal plug flow reactor (PFR, right)
— two examples for large-scale agricultural biogas digesters in Europe. Source: BRUYN (2006

http://www.sswm.info/content/anaerobic-digestion-large-scale

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Reactores:

Ex. Una corriente que recorre 10 m3/s se ve incrementada con un afluente con un
flujo de 5 m3/s. La concentración de cloruro de la corriente, río arriba de la
confluencia, es 20 mg/L y la concentración de cloruro del afluente es 40 mg/L. Cuál
es la concentración de cloruro río abajo?

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Reactores:

Ex. Una lavadora doméstica quita la grasa y la suciedad de la ropa en un proceso

de primer orden en el que se elmina el 12% de la grasa por minuto. La lavadora
contiene 50 L de agua y tiene un ciclo de lavado de 5 minutos antes de descargar el
agua. Cuál será la concentración de grasa en mg/L en el agua de descarga si la
ropa contiene 0,5 g de grasa?

Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Reactores:

Ex. Considere un lago de 10x106 m3 alimentado por una corriente contaminada que
tiene una tasa de flujo de 5 m3/s y una concentración de contaminante igual a 10
mg/L. Adicionalmente, un canal descarga 0,5 m3/s de agua residual, con una
concentración de contaminante de 100 mg/L. Los desechos de la corriente y el
agua residual tienen un coeficiente de tasa de descomposición de 0,20/d.
Suponiendo que el contaminante está mezclado completamente en el lago y que no
hay evaporación ni otras pérdidas ni ganancias de agua, encuentre el estado
estable de concentración del contaminante en el lago

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Reactors

Mass balance for reactors

Reactores:

Ex. Todos los años garzas, gaviotas, águilas y otros pájaros se concentran a lo
largo de un tramo de corriente de 4,75 km que conecta el lago con el oceáno, para
atrapar el salmón firgerling ya que ellos emigran río abajo hacia el mar. Los pájaros
son pescadores eficaces y consumirán 10 000 fingerlings/km*h,
independientemente del número de salmones que haya en la corriente. Es decir,
hay suficiente salmón, los pájaros solo se ven limitados por lo rápido que puedan
capturar y comer el pez. La corriente atraviesa un área promedio de 20 m2 y el
salmón se mueve corriente abajo con una tasa de flujo de corriente de 700 m3/min.
Si hay 7 fingerlings/m3 en el agua que entra a la corriente. Cuál es la concentración
de salmón que alcanza el oceáno después de que los pájaros se hayan
alimentado?

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