Paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society (A. 351, 33-53) 15th January 1976.

S F Bush with P Dyer

Thanks are due to the late Mr C A J Young, FRS, who communicated the paper.

Summary

Methods for the experimental and computational analysis of complex kinetics problems are described. Two examples which have been applied to industrial-scale design and operation are taken: high temperature chlorocarbon rearrangement and hydrocarbon cracking. Surface mechanisms are included within the treatment.

The experiments were based mainly on the continuous-flow uniform reaction cell which allowed precise control over physical conditions up to the temperature limit of interest, 1000 ^oC. The computational treatment is based on the development of a mathematical model system which permits a model structure to be varied at will, enabling radically different mechanisms to be rapidly examined. Using the methods, many thousands of computations have been carried out on a variety of systems of widely differing structures for the purposes of both research and design.

In Appendix A the model structure was used. In Appendix B the minimisation of the sum of squares by Gauss’s method was used.

See also the other items in this section Mathematics & Computation.

Paper published in the Transactions of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Volume 47, No 3, April 1969.

It was awarded the Moulton Medal.

S F Bush

Synopsis

A basis for the design of jet-stirred reactors is proposed. A number of reactors for continuous-flow chemical kinetic studies have been constructed on this basis and the fluid flow in the reactor has been examined by means of a hydraulic model. Experiments on dispersion have also been carried out. An analysis of the dispersion achieved by the design leads to simple formulae for the mixing time and the fluid recirculation.

The fluid recirculation in the reactor is found to be close to design predictions. Results of experiments using these reactors for the study of exothermic reactions are presented. In general, the spread of temperature within the reactor (a practical measure of effective mixing with exothermic reactions) has been found to be small and comparable with that obtained with high-speed paddle-stirred reactors.

See also the section on Measurement of Reaction Kinetics.