Details

For a CSTR operating at steady-state:

,

,

,

,

where is the concentration of at steady state (), is the volumetric flow rate until cooling fails (), is the inlet concentration of (), is reactor volume (), is the steady-state reaction rate (), and are the steady-state rate constant and pre-exponential factor (1/min), is activation energy (J/mol), is the ideal gas constant (J/[mol K]), is the steady-state temperature (K), is the molar heat capacity of component (J/[mol K]), and are the inlet and coolant temperatures (K), is the heat transfer coefficient times heat transfer area (J/[K min]), and is the heat of reaction (J/mol).

Mass and energy balances are done to determine concentrations and temperature after cooling has failed:

,

,

,

,

,

where is time (min), is the rate of reaction (), and is the rate constant (1/min).

The volumetric flow rate until the valve is adjusted, and then is set with a slider to avoid thermal runaway.

A screencast video at [1] shows how to use this Demonstration.

Reference

[1] Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor That Loses Cooling. www.colorado.edu/learncheme/kinetics/CSTRLosesCooling.html.