»
Batch Reactors
laboration with KOBELCO ECO-SOLUTIONS CO ., LTD Japan constructed a bespoke test facility in which PTSC supplied the PI QFlux™ reactor , TCU and PLC including software algorithms as part of the overall controls package for both batch reactors . In terms of the test regime both reactors were connected to the same TCU with both being serviced by the same primary resources of steam boiler , cooler and chiller . Both reactor vessels were constructed in glass-lined steel and the same heat transfer thermal fluid as well as product fluid type , volume and atmospheric pressure was maintained throughout both units ’ tests . Thermodynamic modelling of both reactors had been carried out prior to testing in order to assess where the empirical test results fell in terms of the calculated values . Prior to starting the test program , the system was extensively commissioned to ensure controls , valves , mixers , pumps and instrument calibrations were operating within specification for the TCU and reactors as well as ensuring that the boiler , cooler , chiller pump systems and power generations for the services were operating reliably and to duty requirements . It was determined that the standard reactor would be tested first with a 1000Ltr charge of water and provide the benchmark before carrying out the same tests with the PI QFlux™ reactor . The standard reactor was fitted with a 3-blade retreat curve agitator running at 90 rpm , and ambient air temperature ranged from 28 to 34 ° C . Each test started from a set product temperature , in the case of water being 5 ° C to 95 ° C and comparative heating and cooling performances were taken along with primary fuel consumptions for the boiler . The same trial was undertaken using corn oil as the product over a temperature range of 10 ° C to 160 ° C .
PI QFlux™ Test Results Charts 1 & 2 below provide in startling detail the “ real time ” performance difference between the PI QFlux™ reactor and a standard batch reactor of equivalent volume , over differing temperature ranges and vessel internal product material specifications . Unlike product brochures or partial material conductivities the tests performed provide a true end to end comparison of the overall heat transfer rate and efficiency from primary heat source to product . By comparing the energy consumption of the primary heat source in order to reach comparable temperatures an overall energy efficiency
could be measured for both reactors on alternative product contents . The test results were plotted over numerous trial runs with some 750,000 data points taken measuring services flow rates , individual zonal temperatures , pressures , motor powers , as well as product side multi-point temperatures . In chart 1 , below the blue line plots the standard batch reactor actual performance and the orange being the PI QFlux™ under the same heating operating conditions . The PI QFlux™ is designed to utilize higher primary temperatures as indicated by the red line , which is some 5.5 times faster at higher temperatures than a standard batch reactor at 8 barg equivalent steam pressure temperatures . During these trials the heating rate for internal contents reached above 5 ° C per minute and despite this the temperature variation across the vessel contents was within 0.3 ° C . As all services to the point of both reactors were the same the only variation was related to the individual reactor performance . During testing when operating at some 70 % of its maximum mean services operating temperature potential the PI QFlux™ system was able to provide up to 329 kW ( 0.33kWkg -1 ) of energy flux in heating directly to the product contents of the PI QFlux™ vessel this being in addition to the commensurate heat added to the general system mass . This is hugely more than the maximum heat flux able to be imparted to the standard reactor product contents which was only 82 kW ( 0.082kWkg -1 ) when both were operating on the same heat services conditions . When the PI QFlux™ operating temperature range was increased to 75 % of its maximum mean operating services temperature potential , the heat flux increased due to this 5 % services temperature profile produced a further 20 % increase to 394 kW ( 0.39kWkg -1 ) of energy flux directly to the vessel product , whilst still maintaining a temperature profile of 0.3 ° C across the reactor contents . This being a comparable temperature profile to that of the slower standard reactor . It should be noted that during these trials the PI QFlux™ reactor was still only operating at a restricted 75 % operating design capability , with additional heat flux increases still available to utilize . This superior heat flux capability potential of the PI QFlux™ in addition to its massive overall productivity advantage has a significant effect on the accuracy and rate of change available to operational control and product quality , this effect was easily observed in that the PI
Test center layout
www . heat-exchanger-world . com Heat Exchanger World October 2022
49