Residence time distribution measurements in an ethyl acetate reactor using radiotracer technique

In the present study, residence time distribution measurements were carried out in an industrial-scale ethyl acetate reactors using Bromine-82 as radiotracer. The process fluid is re-circulated into the reactor at a high flow instead of mechanical agitation inside the reactor to facilitate the mixing. The objective of the study was to measure the effect of recirculation rate on the mean residence time and flow pattern process of material in the reactor. The results showed that recirculation significantly affects the flow characteristics and mean residence time of the reactors. A bypass stream and stagnant fluid zones present in the system and their fraction affected by recirculation in both the reactors.