Multiple Steady States in a CSTR
A continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with heat transfer is used to carry out the reversible, exothermic reaction: \( A \longleftrightarrow B \). This simulation shows how the steady-state solutions change as you vary the feed temperature, the heat transfer coefficient, and the pre-exponential factor for the reverse reaction. Plots of concentration of product B versus reactor temperature are shown for the mass balance and the energy balance; the intersections of these two balances correspond to the steady-state solutions for the reactor. Either one or three solutions are possible, and when three solutions are obtained, the middle solution (at the intersection of the two plots) is unstable.
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About:
This simulation was made at the University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Author(s): Rachael L. Baumann
View the source code for this simulation