Design and Operation of a Tubular Reactor with Narrow Residence Time Distribution

Abstract

In process engineering the residence time is an important design parameter, and a narrow residence time distribution is advantageous to avoid possible by-products in complex chemical reactions. A good radial mixing with low axial dispersion provides a narrow residence time distribution in a tube reactor. The axial dispersion of laminar flow in a straight tube is very high and generates a wide residence time distribution. However, secondary flows improve the radial mixing, which are investigated in this paper for curved tube reactors. Design notes for good radial mixing and geometric designs of tube reactors with baffles are presented.