Thermal modes of a plug flow reactor with a liquid–liquid heterogeneous system

Abstract

The thermal modes of a flow plug reactor with an exothermic chemical reaction are numerically simulated. A heterogeneous reaction system consisting of two immiscible liquids is studied: one of the liquids (dispersed phase) in the form of droplets is distributed in the other (dispersion phase). The characteristics of the thermal modes of the reactor at various values of two governing parameters, the Damköhler number and the rate of extraction of the dissolved substance from the dispersed phase into the dispersion phase is examined. Two modes of chemical reaction in the reactor are demonstrated to be possible: low-temperature and high-temperature. Critical criteria of thermal ignition are formulated. The dependence of the structure of the thermal wave on the governing parameters is investigated.