Chemical Reaction Engineering Lab

The SBR process is a biological, aerobic wastewater treatment process. In contrast to the classic activated sludge process, the individual process steps are not continuous and do not take place simultaneously, but rather are carried out in batches and sequentially in one single reactor. The reactor is equipped with a compressor for aeration and a stirring machine. The stirring machine ensures sufficient mixing of the reactor contents even in phases without aeration (denitrification). At the end, the treated water (clear water) is extracted from the reactor and collected in a tank. This is done with a floating device, as is typical for the SBR process. Above the reactor is a device for metering an external carbon source (e.g. sugar solution) if required. Timers for the compressor and stirring machine make it possible to set the aeration phases (nitrification) and mixing phases (denitrification) individually. The oxygen concentration, pH value and temperature in the reactor are measured. A digital process controller continuously displays the measured values and the speed of the stirring machine. The process controller has a touch screen and also functions as a controller for the oxygen concentration during the aeration phases. Activated sludge (e.g. from a wastewater treatment plant) is required for the experiments. Table sugar (sucrose) can be used as a carbon source for the synthetic wastewater.

An isothermal semi-batch reactor is a semi-closed system with one input stream. It is operated under conditions like Isothermal (Temperature of Reaction Mass remains constant) and perfectly mixed (composition of reaction mixture is uniform throughout). This set-up is used to study a noncatalytic homogeneous reaction under isothermal condition. The set up consists of a Reactor fitted in a constant temperature water bath. Before starting the reaction the reactor is charged with measured quantity of one reactant. From a feed tank another reactant is fed to the reactor. Using a sampling pipette samples can be taken out for analysis after fixed interval. Rotameter is provided to measure the flow of Chemical. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. One stirrer is fitted for mixing the reactants in reactor and other is fitted in water bath to keep the uniform temperature throughout in the bath. The temperature of bath can be maintained from ambient to 50ºC with the help of Digital Temperature indicator Cum Controller. Pressure Regulator, Pressure Gauge and Safety Valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

Real reactors do not satisfy the idealized flow patterns, back mix flow or plug flow deviation from ideality can be due to channeling of fluid through the vessel, recycling of fluid within the vessel or due to the presence of stagnant region or pockets of fluid in the vessel. To predict the exact behavior of a vessel as a Chemicals reactor, RTD or stimulus response technique is used. The setup consists of one feed tank through which water is fed to the reactor. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valve and measured by Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. It is a helical coil tube type plug flow reactor made up of Stainless steel pipe. Reactants enter at lower end coming out of the top of coil from where samples are collected for analysis. For understanding the R.T.D. characteristics, a special arrangement to inject tracer into the lower end of reactor, using a syringe is provided. Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed air line.

In an ideal CSTR (i.e. an ideal steady state flow reactor) the contents in reactor are well mixed and have uniform composition throughout. Thus the exit stream has the same composition as the fluid within the reactor. This type of reactor is known as mixed flow reactor. This set-up is used to study a non-catalytic homogeneous second order liquid phase reaction under ambient condition. The set up consists of two feed tanks through which two reactants are fed to the reactor. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of Chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. The CSTR is fitted with stirrer for proper mixing. From top outlet of it samples are collected for analysis. Pressure Regulator, Pressure Gauge and Safety Valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

In an ideal Plug Flow Reactor (PFTR) there is no mixing in the direction of flow and complete mixing perpendicular to direction of flow. Concentration of reactants varies along the length of reactor but not in radial direction. In case of a coil turbulence is introduced due to frequent change in direction of flow and presence of secondary flow, so a higher value of reaction rate constant is expected in coil tube type plug flow reactor. This set-up is used to study a non-catalytic homogeneous reaction under isothermal condition. The set up consists of two feed tanks through which two reactants are fed to the reactor. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of Chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. It is a helical coil tube type reactor kept in a constant temperature water bath to conduct the experiment at various temperatures. Reactants enter at lower end coming out of the top of coil from where samples are collected for analysis. Pressure Regulator, Pressure Gauge and Safety Valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

This set-up is used to study a non-catalytic homogeneous second order liquid phase reaction under ambient condition in a combined reactor. It consists of two reactors connected in series; one is plug flow reactor and another mixed flow reactor. In an ideal Plug Flow Reactor (PFTR) there is no mixing in the direction of flow and complete mixing perpendicular to direction of flow. Concentration of reactants varies along the length of reactor but not in radial direction. In case of a coil turbulence is introduced due to frequent change in direction of flow and presence of secondary flow, so a higher value of reaction rate constant is expected in coil tube type plug flow reactor. In an ideal MFR (i.e. an ideal steady state flow reactor) the contents in reactor are well mixed and have uniform composition throughout. Thus the exit stream has the same composition as the fluid within the reactor. The set up consists of two feed tanks through which two reactants are fed to the reactors fitted in series. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of Chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. 1st is a helical coil tube type reactor made up of SS pipe. Reactants enter at lower end coming out of the top of coil from where it is fed to a MFR fitted with stirrer for proper mixing. Samples are collected for analysis. Pressure Regulator, Pressure Gauge and Safety Valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

Axial diffusion and dispersion of fluid in packed beds are important for design and operation of separation equipment and Chemicals reactors. The tracer technique, the most widely used method for the study of axial dispersion. In stimulus response experimentation, we perturb the system using pulse input of tracer and then see how the system reacts or responds to this stimulus. The analysis of the response gives the desired information about the system. The setup consists of a glass column packed with Rasching Rings and one feed tank. Water is fed to the reactor through liquid distributor, fitted at the bottom of the column. Rotameter is provided to measure the flow of water. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valve provided on Rotameter. For understanding the R.T.D. characteristics, a special arrangement to inject tracer into the lower end of reactor, using a syringe, is provided. Samples can be taken periodically from the top outlet of reactor. Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed air line.

The setup consists of a glass column packed with Rasching Rings and two feed tanks. Reactants are fed to the reactor through liquid distributor, fitted at the bottom of the column. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of Chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. Samples can be taken periodically from the top outlet of reactor. Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed air line.

A batch reactor is a closed system with no input and output streams. A batch reactor can operate under conditions like Isothermal (Temperature of Reaction Mass remains constant), Perfectly mixed (composition of reaction mixture is uniform throughout), and constant volume (volume of the reaction mixture within the reactor remains constant, there is no appreciable change in the density of reaction mass). This set-up is used to study a non-catalytic homogeneous reaction under isothermal condition. The set up consists of a Reactor fitted in a constant temperature water bath. One stirrer is fitted for mixing the reactants in reactor and other is fitted in water bath to keep the uniform temperature throughout in the bath. The temperature of bath can be maintained from ambient to 90C with the help of Digital Temperature indicator Cum Controller. Samples can be taken out with the help of a sampling pipette.

Real reactors do not satisfy the idealized flow patterns, back mix flow or plug flow deviation from ideality can be due to channeling of fluid through the vessel, recycling of fluid within the vessel or due to the presence of stagnant region or pockets of fluid in the vessel. To predict the exact behavior of a vessel as a Chemicals reactor, RTD or stimulus response technique is used. The setup consists of one feed tank through which water is fed to the reactor. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valve and measured by Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. It is a helical coil tube type plug flow reactor made up of Stainless steel pipe. Reactants enter at lower end coming out of the top of coil from where samples are collected for analysis. For understanding the R.T.D. characteristics, a special arrangement to inject tracer into the lower end of reactor, using a syringe is provided. Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed air line.

In an ideal Plug Flow Reactor (PFTR) there is no mixing in the direction of flow and complete mixing perpendicular to direction of flow. Concentration of reactants varies along the length of reactor but not in radial direction. In case of a coil turbulence is introduced due to frequent change in direction of flow and presence of secondary flow, so a higher value of reaction rate constant is expected in coil tube type plug flow reactor. This set-up is used to study a non-catalytic homogeneous reaction under isothermal condition. The set up consists of two feed tanks through which two reactants are fed to the reactor. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of Chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. It is a helical coil tube type reactor kept in a constant temperature water bath to conduct the experiment at various temperatures. Reactants enter at lower end coming out of the top of coil from where samples are collected for analysis. Pressure Regulator, Pressure Gauge and Safety Valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

Real reactors do not satisfy the idealized flow patterns, back mix flow or plug flow deviation from ideality can be due to channeling of fluid through the vessel, recycling of fluid within the vessel or due to the presence of stagnant region or pockets of fluid in the vessel. To predict the exact behavior of a vessel as a Chemicals reactor, RTD or stimulus response technique is used. The setup consists of one feed tank through which water is fed to the reactor. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valve and measured by Rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. The continuously stirred tank reactor made of Stainless Steel is provided for understanding the R.T.D. characteristics. Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed air line.

This setup is CSTR arranged in the series and two feed tanks through which two reactants are fed to the reactor. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. Reactants from feed tank enter in the first CSTR and are passed to second CSTR and so on. For analysis samples are collected from the different ports provided. Pressure regulator, pressure gauge & safety valve are fitted in the compressed air line.

This setup is use to study a non-catalytic homogenous second order liquid phase reaction under isothermal condition. The set up consist of two feed tank through which two reactants are fed to the reactor. Rotameters are provided to measure the individual flow of chemicals. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valves provided on respective rotameter. The compressed air is used for circulation of feed. The CSTR is fitted with stirrer for proper mixing. From top outlet of it samples are collected for analysis constant temperature water bath arrangement is provided to conduct the experiment at various temperatures, pressure regulator, pressure gauge & safety valve are fitted in the compressed air line.