Chapter 2, Problem 2.7P

The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas-phase reaction

$\text{2A}+\text{B}\to 2\text{C}$

is to be carried out in a flow reactor for an equimolar feed of A and B. A Levenspiel plot for this reaction is shown in Figure P2-7_B.

Figure P2-7_B Levenspiel plot.

1. (a) What PFR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
2. (b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
3. (c) What is the volume of a second CSTR added in series to the first CSTR (Part b) necessary to achieve an overall conversion of 80%?
4. (d) What PFR volume must be added to the first CSTR (Part b) to raise the conversion to 80%?
5. (e) What conversion can be achieved in a 6 × 10⁴ m³ CSTR? In a 6 × 10⁴ m³ PFR?
6. (f) Think critically (cf. Preface, Section I, page xxviii) to critique the answers (numbers) to this problem.