The Chemical Batch Reactor

This chapter faces the description of the main object of the book, namely, the chemical batch reactor. First, the batch reactor is compared to the continuous reactors in the light of ideal physical models, the main ideas of chemical kinetics are reviewed, and the relevant modeling of the isothermal batch reactor is developed. Then, the heat balance introduces elements of realism in the modeling, in particular the coupling of the reactor with the heat exchange device, which is used for both heating and cooling. On the basis of these results, a case study is presented, both in the form of the phenol–formaldehyde reaction and of its generalization in the wider class of irreversible nonchain reactions. They are both used in the following chapters as illustrative examples for identification, control, and diagnosis. Finally, some remarks are given on measuring and manipulating the reactor status, thus providing the reader with a few useful basic concepts and information.