EFFECT OF STIRRING AND TEMPERATURE ON THE BELOUSOV-ZHABOTINSKII REACTION IN A CSTR

The effect of stirring and temperature on the BZ reaction is reported by using malonic and gallic acid as organic substrates in experiments carried out in a continuously fed stirred tank reactor. Complex oscill ations of varying frequencies and amplitudes are reported for the gall ic acid system at low flow and stirring rate. High temperature decreas es the oscillation amplitude in both systems. The oscillation amplitud e increases with increase of stirring rate in the gallic acid system, but no significant stirring effect is observed in the malonic acid sys tem for the concentration of the chemicals used. A bistability between an oscillatory branch and a flow branch is reported for the first tim e for the GA system by using the stirring rate as the control paramete r. This indicates the complex dynamical role of temperature and stirri ng rate as bifurcation parameters in Hopf bifurcation experiments.