The General Mole Balance Equation

Source: Fogler

Consider, any reactant, j System Volume

Mole Balances: Batch, CSTR & Fj0 Gj Fj

PFR
Rate of flow of Rate of generation Rate of flow of Rate of
Lecture No. 2 species j into the of species j by species j out of accumulation of
system chemical reaction _ the system species j within the
ChE 2115 (moles/time)
+
within the system (moles/time)
=
system
(moles/time) (moles/time)

Lola Domnina B. Pestaňo, Ph.D. _ Fj dN j

Fj0 + Gj = (eqn 1)
dt
2
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The General Mole Balance Equation The General Mole Balance Equation
Where: G j = r j  V If there are M sub-volumes in the Total Volume, V:
M M
moles
time
=
moles
time − volume
 volume Gj =  G ji =  rji  Vi
i =1 i =1

Again consider: lim Gj

V

V1
V If M → , V → 0: Gj =  rjdV (eqn 2)
V2
V1
· sub volumes Substituting eqn 2 in eqn 1:
V2
rj1 ·
V dN j
GrjdV
rj2 Fjo _ Fj
+ j =
dt
 G j1 = r j1 V1  G j 2 = r j 2  V2 or:
Where: dNj V General Mole Balance
= Fjo − Fj +  rjdV  Equation
3 dt 4
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BATCH REACTOR

Types of Reactors

Constant Volume Batch Reactor Constant Pressure Batch Reactor

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1
 BATCH REACTOR Constant Volume Batch Reactor
The General Mole Balance Equation:
dN j 0 0 V
= Fjo - Fj + ∫ r j dV
dt
rjV
A batch reactor has neither inflow nor outflow of reactants
or products while the reaction is being carried out: Constant Pressure Batch Reactor
Fj = Fjo = 0

dN j
= rj V 1 dN j Design Equation
or: dt rj = 
V dt for Batch Reactor 7 8
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MFR or CSTR PFR

General Mole Balance Equation:

dN j 0 V Fjo Fj
= Fjo - Fj + ∫ r j dV
dt
rjV • Operated at steady state (in most cases)
• run at steady-state or accumulation rate is zero dN j V

• well mixed no variation in concentration, temp, dt

=0 and
 rjdV =rj  V
reaction rate or rj is uniform across the tank • Concentration continuously varies in the axial direction
MBE becomes: Solving for reactor volume,V: dN j 0
General Mole Balance Equation: V
= Fjo - Fj + ∫ r j dV
Fjo - Fj dt
0 = Fj o - F j + r j V V=  Design Equation
- rj for CSTR 9 jrV 10
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Sub-volume V:
PFR PFR
Fj (y) V Fj (y + y )
(sub-volume)
y
y y
Fj (y) Fj (y + y ) General Mole Balance Equation:
Reactant Product
Fjo Fj, exit dN j 0 V
= Fjo - Fj + ∫ r j dV
dt
y y rjV
0 = Fj o - Fj + r j Δ V
Fj ( y ) - Fj ( y + Δ y ) + r j • Δ V = 0 V = A  y
Fjo = Fj(y): molar flow rate of species j into V at y
Fj ( y ) − F j ( y +  y ) + r j A  y = 0
Fj = Fj(y + y): molar flow rate of species j out of V at y+y
 Fj ( y + y ) − Fj ( y ) 
−  = −A  rj
11  y  12
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2
 PFR Summary of Mole Balances
lim  Fj ( y + y ) − Fj ( y ) 
−  = −A  rj
y→  y 
but:
dFj dFj
− = −A  rj or: = A  rj V = A  y
dy dy
dV = Ady

therefore:

dFj Design Equation for tubular

= rj 
reactor or PFR
dV
Also applicable to variable cross-
section tubular reactor
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Illustrative Example

1. The first-order reaction: A → B, is carried out in a

tubular reactor in which the volumetric flow rate is
constant.
(a) Derive an equation relating the reactor volume to
the entering and exiting concentrations of A, the rate
constant k, and the volumetric flow rate v.
(b) Determine the reactor volume necessary to reduce END.
the exiting concentration to 10% of the entering
concentration when the volumetric flow rate is
10dm3/min (i.e. L/min) and the specific reaction rate,
k, is 0.23/min.

2. If the problem in 1) was carried out in a CSTR, solve

15 16
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