General Comments and Rules of Thumb

In Section 11.2 we indicated how various mathematical models may be used to simulate the performance of a reactor in which the flow patterns do not fit either ideal CSTR or PFR conditions. The models treated represent only a small fraction of the large number that have been proposed by various authors. However, they are among the simplest and most widely used models, and they permit 

The dispersion and stirred-tank models of reactor behavior are in essence single parameter models. The literature contains an abundance of more complex multiparameter models. For an introduction to such models, consult the review article by Levenspiel and Bischoff (3) and the texts by these authors (2, 4). The texts also contain discussions of the means by which residence-time distribution curves may be used to diagnose the presence of flow maldistribution and stagnant region effects in operating equipment. 

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