GENERALIZED CRITERIA FOR PREDICTING THE DYNAMICS OF CONTINUOUS-FLOW CHEMICAL-SYSTEMS .2. APPLICATION TO CHEMICAL REACTORS

The Markovian intensities approach developed in the first part of this series is successfully applied to a non-linear chemical reactor model . The analysis shows that the component version Phi(K) of the dimensio nless parameter Phi derived in Part I for predicting the dynamics of a continuous-flow adsorber is completely valid also for the reactor cas e. Criteria identical to those of a continuous-flow adsorber are obtai ned for attaining the dynamic equilibrium behaviour (i.e. no transport and kinetic limitations exist). As in the adsorber case the modified parameter Phi'(N) = Phi(K)/N is responsible for defining the asymptote as a limit for a practically effective process. The parameter Phi'(N) is also shown to be suitable in predicting the steady-state behaviour of a chemical reactor. The latter parameter determines the range of d imensionless steady-state concentrations attainable for a given reacto r system. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.