Interactive Self-Study Module: Energy Balances in Stirred Tank Reactors
Overview:
This module uses screencasts and an interactive simulation to explain energy balances in stirred tank reactors. It then provides example problems. Your retention of material in this module will increase if you write down reasons for your answers to ConcepTests, questions in screencasts, and questions to answer before using the interactive simulation, and you try to solve the example problems before watching the screencast solutions. We suggest using the learning resources in the following order:
- Attempt to answer the multiple-choice ConcepTest and solve the example problem before watching the screencasts or working with the simulations.
- Watch the screencasts that describe the energy balances in these reactors.
- Review important equations for energy balances in stirred tank reactors.
- Use the interactive simulation to further understand the energy balances in a non-isothermal CSTR.
- Try to solve the example problems before watching the solutions in the screencasts.
- Answer the ConcepTests.
- Look at the list of key points, but only after you try to list the key points yourself.
Motivation:
- This module is intended for a kinetics/reactor design course.
Before studying this module, you should be able to:
- Apply the First Law – Open Systems.
- Solve mass balances for Isothermal Batch Reactors and Isothermal Semibatch Reactors.
- Solve Ordinary Differential Equations.
After studying this module, you should be able to:
- Write energy balances for batch reactors, semibatch reactors, and unsteady-state continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs).
- Solve mass balances and an energy balance simultaneously for a tank reactor that is not at steady-state.
- Solve mass and energy balances for a steady-state CSTR.