Optimization of a 3-D Isothermal Developing Laminar Flow Model of a Monolith Reactor Featuring First Order Reactions

In this work, a 3-dimensional model is optimized, of a monolith reactor in which a first order reaction is carried out, under isothermal, developing laminar flow, conditions. The optimization is carried out, in an imbedded manner, subject to constraints on capital cost and compression cost to production ratios, arising from economic considerations, entrance length requirements, and critical transition to turbulence limitations. First, the 3-dimensional model consisting of the total mass, component mass, and momentum equations is solved repeatedly for fixed reactor cross sections, and residence time. In each case, it is shown that the maximum conversion is attained at the maximum velocity upper bound. Then, cross section optimization is carried out, and maximum conversion is shown to occur at maximum channel width, and minimum hydraulic diameter.