Interactive Self-Study Module: Isothermal Semibatch Reactors
Overview:
This module uses a screencast and an interactive simulation to explain isothermal semibatch reactors. It then provides example problems to allow the user to test themselves. 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 screencast that describes semibatch reactors and answer the question within the screencast.
- Review important equations for isothermal semibatch reactors.
- Use the interactive simulation to further understand isothermal semibatch reactors.
- 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:
- Calculate material balances.
- Solve reactor problems for batch reactors.
- Explain what the rate of reaction is and how reaction rates depend on concentrations.
- Solve systems of ordinary differential equations numerically using software such as Polymath, Mathcad, MATLAB, Mathematica, etc. These equations are initial-value problems.
After studying this module, you should be able to:
- Determine the number of moles of reactants and products in a semibatch reactor as a function of time, given the rate constant, order of reaction, initial moles in the reactor, and feed and/or effluent flow rates.
- Determine when a semibatch reactor should be used and how it should be run.