[How To] Select Condenser Capacity for a Reactor

Dear All.......!!!
Good Evening, Hope you all are good, Thanks for the support that i'm receiving for maintaining this blog, wish this'll continue all time. 

Recently i've received a common query from Mechie (Mech. Engineer / Project Engineer) and one of my colleague, 

And i think some of us also will have the same, to address their query today i'm posting this here, this may be a basic post but i've taken some time to think over it and to make it best possible solution.

But before going to that there is some basic stuff, which need to be accepted by all those who are reading this post, or else there may be slightly misunderstanding erupted in-between.

What is a reactor ?

Reactor is a vessel having an agitator and other accessories which are intended for measuring and maintaining it in safe condition.

What are the operations that can be carried in a reactor ?

The main operation is reaction, apart from that it can be used for extraction, concentration, crystallization and many more.





What are the sub components of a reactor ?

The notable sub components  of a reactor are condenser, collection receiver, safety valve, rupture disc, etc.

What is the main duty of a condenser ?

The main duty of a condenser is to condense the vapour, to deliver exactly the main purpose is to remove the latent heat of vapour. Apart from that the condenser will perform some unofficial duty by removing some of the sensible heat from the condensed liquid.

That's it....!!! Now lets begin the calculation.

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Lets consider a case where a 10 KL SS reactor is available and we need to select a condenser for that reactor.

Step - 1: Select a solvent having high volatility.

Step - 2: Calculate the maximum boil-up of the selected solvent.

Step - 3: Calculate the Condenser Capacity for that boil-up.

That's it ...!! your job is done.





Now, lets begin,

Step - 1: Solvent selection based on boiling point,

Below is the list of solvent and their boiling points [from my database],

Solvent Name	B.P. (°C)		Solvent Name	B.P. (°C)
(N N) Dimethy Amino ethyl Acrylate	95		Di Cyclo Hexyl Amine	255
(R)-Glycidyl Butyrate	90		Di Ethyl Oxalate	186
(S)-3-Chloro 1-Propanethiol	144		Di Isopropyl Adipate	125
1-(Trimethylsilyl)-1-Propyne	95		Di Isopropyl Ether	67
1,1,3,3-Tetramethoxy Propane	183		Di N-butyl Sebacate (Diester)	349
1,1,3,3-Tetramethyl Guanidine	158		DI Water (Acidified with HCl)	100
1,1-Dichloro-3,3-Dimethyl Butane	146		Dibenzyl Phosphite	110
1,2-Dibromoethane	131		Dibutyl Phthalate	340
1,2-Dimethoxyethane	82		Dicyclopentadiene	170
1,2-Dibromo Methane	96		Diethanolamine	268
1,3 - Difluoro Benzene	82		Diethyl Carbonate	126
1,4-Dimethyl Piperazine	131		Diethyl Ether	34.6
1,4-Dibromobutane (DBB)	63		Diethyl Ethoxymethylene Malonate	278
1,4-Dichloro Butane	161		Diethyl Malonate	199
1,4-dioxane	101.3		Diethyl Phthalate	296
1,6-Dibromohexane	243		Diethyl Sulphate	208
1,8-Diazabicyclo(5.4.0)undec-7-ene	80		Diethylamine	55
10-Undecenoyl Chloride	120		Diethylene Glycol	244
1-Acetopapthone	302		Diethyl-L-Tartarate	280
1-Aminopiperidine	146		Diisopropyl Amine	84
1-Bromo 2-Fluoro Benzene	78		Dimethoxyethane	64.5
1-Bromo 4-Fluoro Benzene	150		Dimethyl Carbonate	90
1-Bromo-2,4,6-Trifluorobenzene	140.5		Dimethyl Formamide	153
1-Bromo-2-Fluoroethane	71		Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)	189
1-Bromo-3,4,5-Trifluorobenzene	47		Dimethylsulfide	37
1-Bromo-3-Chloro Propane	144		Diphenyl Phosphine	280
1-Bromo-4-chloro Butane	80		Dowtherm A	257
1-Bromopentane	130		Ethane Sulfonyl Chloride	177
1-Chloroethyl Chloroformate	118		Ethanol	78.3
1-Dodecanethiol	143		Ethyl Acetate	77
1-Fluoro Naphthalene	215		Ethyl Aceto Acetate	180
1-Methylimidazole	198		Ethyl Acrylate	99
1-Phenyl Ethyl Isocyanate	55		Ethyl Bromoacetate	159
2,4-Dichloro Fluoro Benzene	143		Ethyl Chloro Acetate	143
2,2,2-Trifluoro Ethanol	77		Ethyl Chloroformate	93
2-Fluoronitrobenzene	116		Ethyl Iodide	69
2-(2-Chloro Ethoxy) Ethanol	79		Ethyl isocyano acetate	195
2-(2-Thienyl) Ethanol	108		Ethyl Methyl Ketone	78
2-(2-Thienyl) Methylamine	95		Ethyl Nipecotate	102
2-(3-Amino Propylamino)-Ethanol	250		Ethyl Nipecotate	102
2,2,4-Trimethyl Pentane	99		Ethyl Oxalyl Chloride	135
2,3-Dimethyl Pyrazine	156		Ethyl Propiolate	120
2,3-Lutidine	162		Ethylbromodifluroacetate	112
2,3,4- Trifluoroaniline	92		Ethylene Di Chloride	83.5
2,3,Dihydro Benzofuran	188		Ethylhexyl Stearate	>200
2,3-Benzofuran	173		Eucalyptus Oil	174
2,4-Dichloro Benzylamine	83		Euxyl K 100	100
2,5 Norbornadiene	89		Fluoro Benzene	85
2,5-Bis(Trifluoromethyl) Aniline	70		Formamide	210
2,5-Dichlorothiophene	146		Formic Acid	100.8
2,5-Dimethoxy Tetrahydrofuran	145		Fuming Nitric Acid	86
2,6-Lutidine	143		Furfuryl Alcohol	170
2,6-Difluoro Aniline	51		Gamma-Butyro Lactone	206
2,6-Difluoro Nitrobenzene	91		Glutarldehyde 50 % Solu. (198595)	187
2,6-Dimethyl Aniline	214		Glycerol BP	290
2-Acetyl Butyro Lactone	107		Hexa methyl Disilazane	125
2-Acetyl Thiophene	214		Hexane	69
2-Aminomethyl Pyridine	202		Hexene	64
2-Amino Thiophenol	70		Hexylene Glycol	198.3
2-Bromo Ethanol	149		HF/Pyridine(70%)	-
2-Bromo Biphenyl	297		Hydrazine Hydrate	118
2-Butyl Alcohol	99.5		Hydrobromic Acid	124
2-Chloro Ethanol	127-136		Hydrochloric Acid	50.5
2-Chloro Ethyl isocyanate	135		Hydrogen Peroxide	150.2
2-Chloro Pyridine	170		Iso Butanol	108
2-Fluoro Toluene	113		Iso Butylchlororformate	128.8
2-Fluorobenzyl Bromide	84		Iso Butyraldehyde	63
2-Methoxy 1-Propanol	130		Iso Propyl Acetate	89
2-Methyl Tetrahydrofuran	78		Iso Propyl Bromide	59
2-Methyl-1-Butanol	132		Iso Propyl Chloride	34
2-MethylaminoEthanol	150-159		Isoamyl Alcohol	132
2-Methylfuran	63		Isonicotinaldehyde	77
2-Phenyl Ethylamine	197		Isoparaffin	115
2-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde	181		Isopropenyl Acetate	94
2-Pyrrolidinone	245		Isopropyl Alcohol	82
2-Tetra Hydrofuroic Acid	128		Isopropyl Myristate BP	192.6
3,2-Dimethoxy Propane	81		Isovaleraldehyde	90
3 4 Difluoronitro Benzene	76		Lactic Acid	122
3- Chloro Aniline	230.5		m-Chloropyridine	148
3-Methyl-2-Butanone	94.2		Methacryloyl Chloride	95
3,3-Dimethyl Piperidine	136		Methane Sulfonic Acid	100
3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde	104		Methanol	63.9
3,4 Dichloro Benzoyl Chloride	242		Methyisobutylketone	116.8
3,4 dimethyl Benzylamine	178		Methyl Acetoacetate	169
3,4,5-Trimethoxy Toluene	117		Methyl Acrylate	80
3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzyl Alcohol	228		Methyl Cellosolve	124.4
3,4-Dihydropyran	86		Methyl Chloroacetate	130
3,5-Lutidine	169		Methyl Cyanoacetate	204
3-Amino-1-Propanol	187		Methyl Formate	31.5
3-Bromo-5-Fluorobenzonitrile	210		Methyl Iodide	42.5
3-Bromoanisole	210		Methyl Propyl Ketone	100
3-Butyn-1-ol	128.9		Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether	54
3-Chloro Benzaldehyde	213		Methylene Chloride	40
3-Chlorobenzy Bromide	109		Mono Isopropyl Amine	32
3-Cyclohexene-1-Methanol	80		Mono methyl amine - 40 %	48
3-Methoxy Benzaldehyde	143		Monoethylene Glycol	198
3-Methoxy Thiophenol	223		Morpholine	128.9
3-Methoxypropyl Amine	109		N- Benzylethanolamine	153
3-N,N,Dimethylamino Acrolein	279		n Butyl  Acetate	126.5
4 -Amino Butyric Acid	60		N N  Diethyl Aniline	217
4-(Trifluoromethoxy)aniline	73		N N N N-Tetramethyl Ethylenediamine	120
4-Amino-1-Butanol	206		N, O-Bis Trimethyl Silyl Acetamide	71
4-Chloro Ethylacetoacetate	209		N,N Diisopropylethylamine	127
4-Chlorobutyryl Chloride	173		N,N-Diisopropyl Carbodiimide	145
4-Ethylmorpholine	139		N,N-Dimethyl Acetamide	164
4-Fluoro Acetophenone	196		N,N-Dimethyl Aniline	192
4-Fluoro Aniline	188		N,N-Dimethyl Benzylamine	178
4-Fluoro Nitrobenzene	205		N,N-Dimethyl Eththylenediamine	104
4-Fluorobenzoyl Chloride	82		N,N-Dimethyl Propylene Urea	146
4-Isobutylacetophenone	107		N,N-Dimethylformamidedimethylacetal	102
4-Methoxy Phenyl Acetone	145		n-Butanol	117.2
4-Methoxybenzyl Chloride	117		n-Butyl Amine	78
4-Methyl Acetophenone	226		N-Ethyl Piperzine	157
4-Methylthio Benzaldehyde	89-90		n-Heptane	98.4
4-Phenyl 1-Butanol	140		N-Hexyl Amine	131
4-Phenylbutyric Acid Nitrile	97		N-Isopropyl Aniline	206
5 Fluoro Benzaldehyde	181		Nitric Acid	86
5-Ethyl-2-Methylpyridine	178		Nitrobenzene	210.8
5-Fluoro-2-Nitrotoluene	97		Nitromethane	101.2
Acetic Acid	118		N-Methyl 2- Pyrrolidinone	-
Acetic Anhydride	140		N-Methyl Morpholine	115
Acetoin	148		N-Methylaniline	196
Acetone	56		N-Methylpiperazine	138
Acetonitrile	81		n-Pentane	36.1
Acetophenone	201.7		n-Pentyl Amine	104
Acetyl Chloride	51		n-Propanol	97.4
Acrolein	52		n-Propyl Bromide	71
Acrolein Diethyl Acetal	125		O Toluidine	199
Acrylonitrile	77.3		o-Chloro Benzaldehyde	209-215
Acryloyl Chloride	74-76		Ortho Phosphoric Acid	135
Allyl Bromide	71.3		Oxalyl Chloride	63
Aniline	184		o-Xylene	138-143
Anisole	154		Petroleum Ether	30
Benzaldehyde	179		Phenyl Acetone	100
Benzene	80		Phenyl Chloro Formate	135
Benzene Sulphonyl Chloride	251		Phenylacetonitrile	234
Benzhydryl Chloride	140		Phenylchloroformate	74
Benzoyl Chloride	197		Phosphorous Tribromide	175
Benzyl Acetoacetate	275		Phosphorous Trichloride	74.2
Benzyl Acrylate	228		Phosporous Oxychloride	105.8
Benzyl Alcohol	203		Pinacolone	106
Benzyl Amine	184		Piperidine	106
Benzyl Bromide	198		Pivaloyl Chloride	105
Benzyl Chloride	175		p-Methoxybenzyl Cyanide	286
Benzyl Chloro Formate	103		p-Methyl Benzaldehyde	204
Benzyl Ethyl Malonate - 85%	138		Propargylamine	83
Bis (Trimethylsilyl) Acetylene	136		Propionaldehyde	46
Bis(Trimethylsilyl) Trifluoroacetamide  BSTFA	145		Propionic Acid	141.1
Boron Trifluoride Diethyl Etherate	126		Propionic Anhydride	167
Bromine	58.78		Propionitrile	97.2
Bromo Benzene	156		Pyridine	115.5
Bromo Ethane	38		Pyridine-4-Carboxaldehyde	77
Bromo Nitro Methane	146		Pyrrole	130
Bromochloromethane	68.1		Pyrrolidine	87
Bromoform	149.50		R(+)-Glycidol	61
Bromotrimethyl Silane	77		Sodium Methoxide Methanol Solution	69
Butyryl Chloride	102		Sulfuric Acid	315
Carbon Tetra Chloride	76.8		Sulfuryl Chloride	69.3
Chloro Acetaldehyde	85		Tert-Butyl Bromo Acetate	50
Chloro Acetic Acid	189		Tertiary Butanol	82
Chloro Acetonitrile	124		Tertiary Butyl Acetate	96
Chloro Acetyl Chloride	105		Tertiary Butylamine	46
Chloro Benzene	131		Tetra Ethyl Ortho Carbonate	159
Chloro Butane	78.5		Tetrahydro-4H-Pyran-4-One	166
Chloroform	60		Tetrahydrofuran	66
Chlorosulfonyl Acetylchloride	71		Thiazolidine	72
Chloro Sulphonic Acid	151		Thionyl Chloride	79
Collidine	171		Thiophene	84.14
Cyclohexane	80.7		Titanium Tetrachloride	136.4
Cyclohexanone	155.6		Titanium Isopropoxide	220
Cyclohexyl Isocyanate	168		Toluene	110.6
Cyclohexylamine	134.5		Tributyl Tin Chloride	171
Cyclopropane Carboxylic Acid	182		Tributylamine	216
Cyclopropylamine	49		Triethyl Ortho Formate	146
Decyl Oleate	363		Triethyl Phosponoacetate	118
Di Benzyl Amine	300		Triethyl Silane	107
Trimethylsilyl Trifluoromethane Sulphonate	77		Triethyl Silyl Chloride (TESCI)	142
Tri-n-Butylamine	216		Triethylamine	89
Valeronitrile	139		Trifluoroacetic Acid	72.4
Valeryl chloride	125		Trimethyl Chloro Silane	58
Valeryl Chloride (Pentanoyl Chloride)	125		Trimethyl Ortho Formate	101

From the above mentioned listing, Petroleum Ether is highly volatile i.e., B.P. is 30°C,




So, Step - 1 is done.

Now, lets move to Step - 2.





Step - 2: Boil-up calculation,

This is somewhat crucial step in the whole process.

To generate maximum boil-up the utility in reactor jacket shall be Saturated steam,
Jacket pressure: 0.2 Kg/Cm2. Temperature: 105.1 °C,[Refer Steam Tables]

A 10 KL SS reactor will have an Heat transfer area of 19.8 Sq.m,[Use this Spreadsheet to calculate the HT Area - Learn it here]
Lets consider 70% occupancy, The effective HT area will be 13.86 Sq.m.

The boil-up shall be calculated based on the formula: M x ƛ = U x A x LMTD.

Petroleum Ether Properties:

Specific heat, Cp: 0.22 KCal/Kg.K,
Latent heat, ƛ: 85 KCal/Kg,

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LMTD calculation: (ΔT1 - ΔT2) / ln(ΔT1/ΔT2)

ΔT1 = 105.1 - 30 = 75.1°C, ΔT2 = 105.1 - 35 = 70.1°C,

LMTD = (75.1 - 70.1) / ln(75.1/70.1) = 72.46°C.

Lets consider U = 250 KCal/Sq.m.hr.K,

U x A x LMTD = 250 x 13.86 x 72.46 = 251073 KCal.

M = 251073 / 85 = 2954 Kgs.

So, the boil-up is 2954 Kgs.

Step - 2 is successful.
Lets move to Step - 3.





Step - 3: Condenser Capacity calculation,

Lets use the basic formula,

(M x Cp x dT) + (M x ƛ) = U x A x LMTD.

Lets calculate,
(M x Cp x dT) + (M x ƛ) = (2954 x 0.22 x 5) + (2954 x 85) = 254340 KCal.

For a condenser we'll consider U as 400 KCal/Sq.m.hr.K,

LMTD calculation: (ΔT1 - ΔT2) / ln(ΔT1/ΔT2),

Consider Chilled water as condenser utility,

Inlet utility temp.: 8°C, Outlet utility temp.: 15°C,

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ΔT1 = 30 - 8 = 22°C, ΔT2 = 30 - 15 = 15°C,

LMTD = ( 22 - 15 ) / ln( 22 / 15 ) = 18.276°C.

A = 254340 / (400 x 18.276) = 21.11 Sq.m.

Considering 20 % excess as safety, A = 21.11 x 1.2 = 25.34 ~26 Sq.m.

So, the required condenser capacity required for 10 KL SS reactor is 26 Sq.m

That's it......!!!

Hope you all got it, if any queries feel free to comment / message.

Comments are most appreciated........!!!

You can check our demonstration video:

 

SpreadSheet shall be updated soon.

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About The Author

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Hi! I am Ajay Kumar Kalva, Currently serving as the CEO of this site, a tech geek by passion, and a chemical process engineer by profession, i'm interested in writing articles regarding technology, hacking and pharma technology.
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