Modeling and Simulation of Non Linear Process Control Reactor - Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

Chemical reactors are the most influential and therefore important units that a chemical engineer will encounter. To ensure the successful operation of a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) it is necessary to understand their dynamic characteristics. A good understanding will ultimately enable effective control systems design. The aim of this paper is to introduce some basic concepts of chemical reaction systems modeling and develop simulation models for CSTR's. The descriptions of the non-linear and linear systems are derived. To describe the dynamic behavior of a CSTR mass, component and energy balance equations must be developed. This requires an understanding of the functional expressions that describe chemical reaction. A reaction will create new components while simultaneously reducing reactant concentrations. The reaction may give off heat or my require energy to proceed.