Departure from Flask Chemistry

Abstract

Reactors used for chemical synthesis are categorized into batch reactors and flow reactors. In a batch reactor, the concentration of chemical species including starting materials and products changes as time goes. In a continuous flow reactor at steady state, however, the concentration of chemical species remains constant as time goes, but it differs at a different spatial location in the reactor. The reaction time for the batch reactor equates with the spatial location in the flow reactor. The time for which the reaction solution resides in the flow reactor is called the residence time. The average residence time (mean residence time) is determined by the cross-sectional area and the length of the reactor and the flow rate. Appropriate setting of the residence time is required for controlling the reaction in a flow reactor.