Chemical Reaction Engineering
Unit Outlines

Chemical Reaction Engineering

AI Generated Intermediate 45 hours 10 topics

Learning Objectives

5 objectives
  • Understand fundamental concepts of chemical reaction engineering including reaction rates and stoichiometry.
  • Analyze and apply reaction kinetics principles to determine rate laws and rate constants.
  • Design and evaluate various reactor types including batch, continuous flow, and multiphase reactors.
  • Explore the role of catalysis and heterogeneous reactions in chemical processes.
  • Apply knowledge of bioreactors and multiphase reaction engineering to real-world bioprocess and industrial applications.

Content Outline

Preview

Unit 1966 - Chemical Reaction Engineering

1. Introduction to Chemical Reaction Engineering

  • Overview of chemical reaction engineering
  • Fundamental concepts
    • Reaction rates
    • Stoichiometry
    • Types of reactions (homogeneous, heterogeneous, catalytic, biological)

2. Reaction Kinetics

  • Definition and importance of reaction kinetics
  • Factors affecting reaction rates (temperature, concentration, catalysts)
  • Rate laws and reaction order
  • Methods for determining rate constants
  • Temperature dependence and Arrhenius equation

3. Batch Reactors

  • Description and operation of batch reactors
  • Mass balances
  • Energy balances
  • Conversion calculations
  • Design considerations and scale-up

4. Continuous Flow Reactors

  • Overview of continuous flow reactors
  • Plug Flow Reactors (PFR): characteristics and modeling
  • Mixed Flow Reactors (CSTR): characteristics and modeling
  • Residence time distribution (RTD) and its significance
  • Reactor design principles for continuous reactors

5. Reactor Design

  • Design considerations
    • Reaction kinetics and reactor sizing
    • Heat and mass transfer
    • Safety and operability
  • Types of reactors: batch, PFR, CSTR, packed bed, fluidized bed
  • Selection criteria based on reaction type and kinetics

6. Catalysis in Chemical Reactions

  • Role and importance of catalysts
  • Types of catalysts: homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzymatic
  • Catalytic mechanisms
  • Catalyst deactivation and regeneration

7. Reaction Mechanisms

  • Definition and significance
  • Elementary steps and intermediates
  • Methods to determine reaction mechanisms
  • Examples of common reaction mechanisms

8. Heterogeneous Reactions

  • Reactions involving multiple phases
  • Mass transfer limitations
  • Surface reactions and adsorption phenomena
  • Catalyst supports and their effects

9. Bioreactors

  • Introduction to bioreactors for biological systems
  • Enzyme kinetics and models
  • Microbial growth kinetics
  • Types of bioreactors and applications in bioprocessing

10. Multiphase Reaction Engineering

  • Overview of multiphase systems: gas-liquid, gas-solid, liquid-solid
  • Mass transfer effects in multiphase reactions
  • Reactor design considerations for multiphase systems
  • Case studies and industrial applications
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Quick Information

Unit Chemical Reaction Engineering
Difficulty Intermediate
Duration45 hours
Topics10
CreatedJul 20, 2026
GeneratedJul 20, 2026 13:07

Prerequisites

  • Basic Chemistry and Thermodynamics
  • Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering
  • Mathematics including Calculus and Differential Equations

Recommended Resources

  • Levenspiel, O. Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd Edition, Wiley, 1999.
  • Fogler, H. S. Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2016.
  • Smith, J. M., Chemical Engineering Kinetics, 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1981.
  • Relevant scientific journals such as Chemical Engineering Science and Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.
  • Simulation tools like MATLAB, Aspen Plus, or COMSOL Multiphysics for reactor modeling.

Unit Topics

10
Introduction to Chemical Reaction Engineering
An overview of the fundamental concepts in chemical reaction engineering, including reaction rates,...
Reaction Kinetics
Understanding the rate of chemical reactions, factors affecting reaction rates, rate laws, and deter...
Batch Reactors
Study of batch reactors, including mass and energy balances, conversion calculations, and design con...
Continuous Flow Reactors
Overview of continuous flow reactors such as plug flow and mixed flow reactors, residence time distr...
Reactor Design
Discussing reactor design considerations, reactor sizing, types of reactors, and selection criteria...
Catalysis in Chemical Reactions
Exploring the role of catalysts in chemical reactions, types of catalysts, catalytic mechanisms, and...
Reaction Mechanisms
Understanding the detailed pathways of chemical reactions, intermediates, elementary steps, and reac...
Heterogeneous Reactions
Study of reactions involving multiple phases, mass transfer limitations, surface reactions, and cata...
Bioreactors
Introduction to bioreactors for biological reactions, including enzyme kinetics, microbial growth ki...
Multiphase Reaction Engineering
Exploring reactions involving multiple phases such as gas-liquid, gas-solid, and liquid-solid system...