Multiplicity and stability of CSTR-Separator-Recycle Systems

摘要

The nonlinear behaviour of several CSTR-Separator-Recycle systems is studied by rigorous application of the singularity theory. The plant Damkohler number (Da) is introduced as a parameter of the dimensionless balance equations. A feasible operating point exist iff Da > Da~(cr), where the critical value Da~(cr) corresponds to a singular point of the model equations. For one-reactant n th-order isothermal reaction, the feasible operating point is unique and stable. In other cases (second-order isothermal reaction involving two reactants; first-order adiabatic reaction), multiple steady states exist, the range of achievable conversion being limited by the instability of the low-conversion state.