A Qualitative Overview of the Field

Summary

In this chapter the scene is set. It is supposed that chemical synthesis and kinetic experiments are followed by chemical reactor development. The objectives of chemical reactor development have to be put in the context of chemical industry. The ultimate goal is either the design of a new industrial reactor or the optimisation of an existing one. When all the details of a chemical reaction are known, additional information on physical transport phenomena is needed for the design of a chemical reactor. Also, the chemical reactor has to be considered as part of an industrial plant. This chapter gives a qualitative overview of the topics that are treated in the following chapters.