Question

Which of the following is NOT a part of reactor design?

(a) Size of the reactor

(b) Type of the reactor

(c) Flow rates of the reactant and product streams

(d) Method of operation

The question was posed to me at a job interview.

This question is from Introduction to Reactor Design in division Homogenous Reactions in Ideal Reactors of Chemical Reaction Engineering

Answer 1

Correct option is (c) Flow rates of the reactant and product streams

To explain: In general, most reactors are not a stand-alone unit. They are part of huge plants. This means that the flow rates of reactant and/or product streams depend on a lot of factors and may even be pre-decided. The purpose of reactor design, therefore, is to determine the reactor size and type and the suitable method of operation to meet the flow rate or other requirements.