Vibrational stabilization of a chemical reactor: An experimental study

Vibrational control is a method for modification of dynamic properties of linear and nonlinear systems by introduction of fast, zero-average oscillations in a system's parameters. It has been previously shown that forced oscillations introduced in the reactant flow rates to a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) cause a modification of the
S
- shaped steady-state curve. In the present note experimental evidence is given to show that this modification leads to the operation the CSTR at an asymptotically stable periodic regime located near an unstable steady-state of the reactor system having fixed flow rates. For a given average stabilized state, such a stabilizing mechanism results in a higher production rate or lower energy expenditure compared to a steady operation with shifted input conditions.