Turbulent reactive mixing with a series‐parallel reaction: Effect of mixing on yield

Abstract

Abstract The yield of a nonpremixed series‐parallel reaction at complete conversion was measured in a turbulent, tubular‐flow reactor with single and multijet feeds. The yield of the intermediate decreased as mixing was slowed relative to the chemical kinetics, either by decreasing the Reynolds number, or by using a less efficient mixing device, or by increasing the feed concentration. Four models, a modified slab model, a modified stretch model, the Harada mass transfer model, and a new closure model, adequately predict the yield when chemical and mixing kinetics are known from independent measurements of the conversion of acid‐base reactions. Without modification, the original slab and stretch models are unable to account for the earlier observed invariance of conversion to Schmidt number of very rapid, single‐step reactions or to satisfactorily predict the yield of the series‐parallel reaction.