Scale-up criteria for stirred tank reactors

A method is derived for the design of stirred tank reactors for homogeneous reactions. A simple mixing model proposed previously by Curl (4) is used to compute the effects of finite mixing time on complex chemical reactions. It is also shown how the parameters of the model can be obtained by tracer experiments, or estimated theoretically by the assumption of isotropic turbulence. It is shown that in many practical cases the assumption of ideal mixing is a good approximation. However, the effects of imperfect mixing are more likely to be felt in a large reactor than in a pilot plant. Some quantitative examples are discussed. Methods are derived to compute the average outlet concentration for complex systems such as autothermic reactions, polymerization, crystallization, etc.