Table 7-14

Equations for calculating inside film coefficients (hi) of jacketed agitated vessels
622

Reynolds
Agitator type Baffled? number (NRE) Nusselt number (NNu) Remarks
Paddle Yes/No 20 < NRE < 4,000 0.415 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Vessel geometry is discussed by
Holland and Chapman [4]
Paddle Yes/No >4,000 0.36 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Vessel geometry is discussed by
Holland and Chapman [4]
Flat blade turbine Yes/No <400 0.54 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 DA/D T = 1/3, H/D T = 1.0. Six-
bladed turbine. Standard geometry.
Flat blade turbine Yes >400 0.74 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 DA/D T = 1/3, H/D T = 1.0. Six-
bladed turbine. Standard geometry.
Flat blade turbine Yes 2,000< NRE < 700,000 1.10 (NRE)0.62 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14
Propeller Yes >5,000 0.64 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Three blades
Propeller Yes No limitation 0.54 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.25 (μb/μw)0.14 45° pitched, four-blade impeller.
Equation is based on limited data
with regard to propeller pitch and
vessel baffling. Divide hi obtained
with this equation by a factor of
Modeling of Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design

about 1.3.
Retreating blade Yes No limitation 0.33 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Glassed-steel impeller. Three
turbine retreating blades. The lower
constant (0.33) for the glassed-steel
impeller is attributed to greater
slippage around its curved surfaces
than around the sharp corners of
the alloy-steel impeller.
Retreating blade Yes No limitation 0.37 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Alloy-steel impeller. Three retreat-
turbine ing blades.
Retreating blade No No limitation 0.68 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Six retreating blades.
turbine
Propeller Yes No limitation 0.54 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.25 (μb/μw)0.14 45° pitched four bladed impeller.
Equation is based on limited data
with regard to propeller pitch and
vessel baffling. Divide hi obtained
with this equation by a factor of
about 1.3.
Anchor No 30 < NRE < 300 1.0 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.18 The overall heat transfer coefficient
U, varies inversely with the anchor-
to-wall clearance. Anchor to wall
clearance is less than 1 in.
Anchor No 300 < NRE < 4,000 0.38 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.18 Similar condition as before.
Anchor No 4,000 < NRE < 37,000 0.55 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.25(μb/μw)0.14 Anchor to wall clearance of 1 to
5.125 in. Vessel geometry is illu-
strated by Holland and Chapman [4]
Helical ribbon No <130 0.248 (NRE)0.5 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14
× (e/DA)–0.22 (i/D)–0.28 e = clearance, (DT – DA)/2, ft
DA = impeller diameter, ft
i = agitator-ribbon pitch, ft
Fluid Mixing in Reactors

Helical ribbon No >130 0.248 (NRE)0.67 (NPr)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Same as above.

× (i/D)–0.25
623
 Table 7-15
Equations for calculating outside film coefficients (hO) of jacketed agitated vessels
624

Reynolds
Jacket type number (NRe) Nusselt number (NNu) Remarks
Annular jacket with >10,000 0.027 (NRe)0.8(NPr)0.33(μb/μw)0.14(1 + 3.5D e/Dc) This jacket is considered a special
spiral baffling case of a helical coil if certain
factors are incorporated into equations
for calculating outside-film coeffi-
cients. In the equations at left and
below, the equivalent heat transfer
diameter De, for a rectangular cross-
section is equal to four times the
width of the annular space, w and
Dc is the mean or centerline diameter
of the coil helix. Velocities are
calculated from the actual cross-
section of the flow area, pw, where
p is the pitch of the spiral baffle,
and from the effective mass flowrate,
W', through the passage. The leakage
around spiral baffles is considerable,
amounting to 35–50% of the total
Modeling of Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design

mass flowrate. The effective mass

flowrate is about 60% of the total
mass flowrate to the jacket: W′ =
0.6 W. The NNu for this equation
should be expressed in terms of
De(NNu = hjDe/k) as should the
Reynolds number (NRe = Devρ/μ), k
being thermal conductivity, v being
velocity, and ρ being density.
Annular jacket with <2,100 1.86 (NRe)0.33(NPr)0.33(De/L)0.33 (μb/μw)0.14 Same as the above. L is length of
spiral baffling coil or jacket passage, ft
Annular jacket with 2,100<NRe<10,000 Use the above equations depending
spiral baffling on the value of NRe
Annular jacket, Laminar flow 1.02(NRe)0.45(NPr)0.33(μb/μw)0.14(De/L)0.4 Dji and Djo are the inside and out-
no baffles × (Djo/Dji)0.8 (NGr)0.05 side diameters of the jacket respec-
tively. For this equation, De = Djo
– Dji. The Grashof number NGr =
De3ρgβΔtG/μ2 were De is equivalent
diameter, g is acceleration due to
gravity, β is coefficient of volumet-
ric expansion, μ is viscosity, ρ is
density, and ΔtG is the difference
between the temperature at the wall
and that in the bulk fluid. NGr must
be calculated from fluid properties
at the bulk temperature.
Annular jacket with <2,100 1.86(NRe)0.33(NPr)0.33(De/L) 0.33(μb/μw)0.14 The Nusselt and Reynolds numbers
spiral baffling must be calculated with De as the
diameter term.
Annular jacket, Turbulent 0.027(NRe)0.8(NPr)0.33(μb/μw)0.14 For the equivalent heat transfer
no baffles × (1 + 3.5De/D c) diameter for turbulent flow, use
De = [(Djo)2 – (Dji)2]/Dji, where Dji
and Djo are the inside and outside
Fluid Mixing in Reactors

diameters of the jacket respectively.

The cross-sectional flow area, Ax =
π[(Djo)2 – (Dji)2]/4
625
 626

Table 7-15
(continued)
Reynolds
Jacket type number (NRe) Nusselt number (NNu) Remarks
Annular jacket with 210 < NRe <10,000 Use the above equations depending
spiral baffling on the value of NRe.
Half-pipe coil jacket Laminar flow 18.6(NRe)0.33(NPr)0.33(De/L) 0.33(μb/μw)0.14 When pipe coils are made with a
semicircular cross-section, De =
πdci/2, where dci is the inner
diameter of the pipe, in feet. For
calculating the velocity, the cross-
sectional flow area equals πd2ci/8.
When pipe coils are made with a
120° central angle, De = 0.0708 dci
and the cross-sectional area equals
0.154(dci)2.
Half-pipe coil jacket Turbulent flow 0.027(NRe)0.2(NPr)0.33(μb/μw)0.14 × (1 + 3.5De/Dc) Dc is the mean diameter of the coil.
Modeling of Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design

Half-pipe coil jacket Transition flow Use the above equations depending
of the value of NRe.
Dimple jacket Laminar flow 1.86(NRe)0.33(NPr)0.33(De/L) 0.33(μb/μw)0.14 The equivalent diameter De, in a
dimpled jacket equals 0.66 in. the
cross-sectional flow area equals 1.98
in.2 per foot of vessel circumference.
Dimple jacket Turbulent flow 0.27(NRe)0.8(NPr)0.33(μb/μw)0.14 The coefficients are not very
accurate due to turbulence created
by the dimples in the flow steam.
Dimple jacket Transition flow Determine NNu from the above equa-
tions depending on the value of NRe.
The dimensionless parameters:

ρVD ρND 2A CPμ hD

Reynolds number, N Re = = Prandtl number, N Pr = Nusselt number, N Nu =
μ μ k k
where ρ =density where CP = specific heat where h = heat transfer coefficient
V =velocity μ = viscosity D = diameter
D =diameter k = thermal conductivity k = thermal conductivity
DA =impeller diameter
N =rotational speed of the
agitator
μ = viscosity

D 3e ρ 2 gβΔt G
Viscosity number, μb/μw Grashof number, N Gr =
μ2
where μb = viscosity at the bulk fluid where De = equivalent diameter
temperature ρ = density
μw = viscosity at the wall g = acceleration due to gravity
surface temperature β = coefficient of volumetric
(μb/μw)0.14 ≅ 1.0 for water expansion
Fluid Mixing in Reactors

ΔtG = difference between the

temperature at the wall
and that in the bulk fluid
627