The continuously-stirred decanting reactor: Steady state and dynamic features

The steady-state and dynamic behavior of an exothermic reaction in a cooled, continuouslystirred decanting reactor (CSDR) is examined. For the case considered, two phases are fed but only one is removed, as reaction occurs in the lighter phase and the products are soluble only in the heavier, decanted phase. A number of distinguishing features of the CSDR are identified. Ignition and extinction phenomena do not occur because the heat generation rate is a constant, a consequence of complete conversion of the lighter phase reactant. The buildup of the reactive phase as the reactor temperature is decreased may make the operation infeasible. Thus, either zero or one feasible steady-state solutions exist. The thermal feedback and variable phase volumes may destabilize the unique steady state at a supercritical Hopf bifurcation point, making the CSDR a natural oscillator during nonisothermal operation.