Multi-Stage Stirred Tanks in Series Residence Time Distribution and Mixing Performance Determination Educational Pilot Plant

Introduction

The Multi-Stage Stirred Tanks in Series Residence Time Distribution and Mixing Performance Determination Educational Unit Operations Pilot Plant is designed for chemical engineering and process-related university laboratories. This educational system allows students to visually and quantitatively analyze non-ideal flow behaviors, residence time distribution (RTD), and mixing characteristics in continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) operating in series. By bridging theoretical reactor design concepts with physical practice, the unit prepares students for real-world industrial process challenges. To accommodate varying curriculum requirements and laboratory layouts, this pilot plant features a flexible design where both the hardware components and the software interface can be fully customized to meet specific institutional needs.

Key Features and Educational Benefits

• Industrial-Grade Instrumentation: Equipped with an industrial all-in-one touch PC, exposing students to modern industrial control interfaces, data acquisition, and automated process monitoring.
• Real-Time Data Collection: Employs high-precision conductivity sensors at the outlet of each reactor to measure tracer concentration dynamically, enabling precise calculation of the RTD curve.
• Interactive 3D Virtual Simulation: A companion 3D virtual simulation platform allows students to preview and practice operations offline or online, supporting hybrid teaching models and self-paced learning.
• Comprehensive Assessment System: Built-in online testing tools enable educators to create customized question banks, generate exams, and track student performance automatically.
• Robust Engineering Design: Constructed on a durable, mobile aluminum profile frame, incorporating industrial-grade piping, pumps, and stirred reactors for long-term laboratory teaching use.

Technical Specifications and Experimental Capabilities

Academic Integration and Curriculum Alignment

This educational pilot plant serves as a core experimental tool across multiple engineering disciplines, including Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Food Engineering, and Biotechnology. It is structured to align with foundational engineering concepts covered in major international textbooks, such as:

• Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering: Directly supports the study of mixing processes, agitation mechanisms, and the transport of fluids through process equipment.
• Transport Processes and Unit Operations: Connects to the principles of mass transfer, fluid dynamics, and non-ideal flow dynamics in continuous processing systems.
• Chemical Engineering Design: Illustrates the modeling of non-ideal reactors, determination of residence time distribution ($E$ and $F$ curves), evaluation of the tank-in-series model parameter ($N$), and the comparison of ideal Plug Flow Reactors (PFR) and Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTR).

By integrating this pilot plant into the laboratory curriculum, instructors can transition from textbook-based reactor design equations to hands-on experimental analysis. This reinforces the physical meaning of backmixing, reactor bypass, and dead zones.

To ensure seamless integration into your specific curriculum, both the hardware setup (including the number of reactors, sensor ranges, and piping materials) and the software environment (such as data analysis algorithms and user interface languages) can be customized to align with your academic standards.

About LABPARK

LABPARK has been dedicated to serving the higher education sector for over 20 years, focusing on delivering advanced laboratory equipment and engineering training solutions. The company specializes in six core academic fields: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Food Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering.

Supported by a robust production and R&D base spanning 49,000 square meters, LABPARK holds 209 technical patents, reflecting a commitment to continuous educational innovation. To date, the company has established successful partnerships with more than 289 universities and colleges worldwide, helping educators cultivate the next generation of engineering talent.

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