THE “UCKRON-1” TEST PROBLEM FOR REACTION ENGINEERING MODELING

Abstract

Abstract Testing kinetic models against a “true” and detailed kinetic expression was the aim of the Workshop on Kinetic Model Development at the Denver AIChE Meeting in August, 1983. For this purpose an artificial reaction mechanism was created, based on the known thermodynamics of the methanol synthesis as a framework. The kinetic rate laws, that were derived from this mechanism, were made thermodynamically consistent by achieving agreement between equilibrium constants calculated at various temperatures from the given, real original thermodynamic relationship and those calculated from the detailed reversible kinetic expressions. Using the artificial kinetics as the "true" one, CSTR experiments were simulated. The results of a statistically designed set of experiments were published after 5% random error was added to the data. Participation was invited for all interested to correlate the data, develop kinetic models and to calculate the performance of the specified reactor. The results of 19 submitted entries are summarized with the conclusion that the models had more differences than were expected, but their predictive values were not as different as was anticipated, if the extreme high production rates due to thermal runaways are not considered. This in turn points out the necessity to check models experimentally, in pilot plant, not only for predicted optimum, but also for calculated runaway conditions. Models which did not capture the true character of this reaction failed to predict the onset of runaway reactions.