Space velocity (chemistry)
Encyclopedia
In chemical reactor
design, space velocity represents the relation between volumetric flow and reactor volume (or catalyst bed volume). It is often denoted by SV and is related to the residence time
in a chemical reactor, τ, by the relationship,
where the space velocity and the residence time
are calculated at the same conditions.
The space velocity, in chemical reactor design, indicates how many reactor volumes of feed can be treated in a unit time. For example, a reactor with a space velocity of 7 hr−1 is able to process feed equivalent to seven times the reactor volume each hour.
Space velocities may also be calculated on a weight basis. These are typically used to describe catalytic reactors, and are denoted as weight hourly space velocity, WHSV.
Chemical reactor
In chemical engineering, chemical reactors are vessels designed to contain chemical reactions. The design of a chemical reactor deals with multiple aspects of chemical engineering. Chemical engineers design reactors to maximize net present value for the given reaction...
design, space velocity represents the relation between volumetric flow and reactor volume (or catalyst bed volume). It is often denoted by SV and is related to the residence time
Residence time
Residence time is the average amount of time that a particle spends in a particular system. This measurement varies directly with the amount of substance that is present in the system....
in a chemical reactor, τ, by the relationship,
- SV = volumetric flow/reactor volume = 1/τ
where the space velocity and the residence time
Residence time
Residence time is the average amount of time that a particle spends in a particular system. This measurement varies directly with the amount of substance that is present in the system....
are calculated at the same conditions.
The space velocity, in chemical reactor design, indicates how many reactor volumes of feed can be treated in a unit time. For example, a reactor with a space velocity of 7 hr−1 is able to process feed equivalent to seven times the reactor volume each hour.
Space velocities may also be calculated on a weight basis. These are typically used to describe catalytic reactors, and are denoted as weight hourly space velocity, WHSV.
- WHSV = mass flow/catalyst mass