Conversion and temperature profiles for complex reactions in laminar and plug flow

Abstract An investigation of the mass and heat transfer equations describing radial and axial profiles for tubular reactors in laminar and plug flow is reported. Reactor conditions evaluated were isothermal, constant wall temperature, and adiabatic. Both diffusion and nondiffusion were considered. The reaction investigated was the demethylation of toluene in the presence of hydrogen. It was found that diffusion plays only a minor role in laminar flow for the conditions investigated. It was also found that isothermal and constant wall temperature reactor operation affected the temperature and concentration profiles very little when r/R was less than 0.6.