Skip to content
Mon, Oct 12, 2026 / Ideas for a clearer worldINDEPENDENT INSIGHTS · PRACTICAL TOOLS · EXPLAINERS
Sign in
chemical reaction engineering / December 18, 2021

Algorithm for Complex Reactions

Reactor Type Gas Phase Liquid Phase Batch Semibatch   CSTR PFR PBR              Rates NOTE: The reaction rates in the above mole balances are net rates. The new things for multiple reactions that build on Figure 4-11 and Table 4-6 areNumber every reactionRate Law for every reactionRelative Rates for every reactionNet Rates of ReactionNumber […]

Reactor TypeGas PhaseLiquid Phase
Batch
Semibatch
 
CSTR
PFR
PBR            

Rates

NOTE: The reaction rates in the above mole balances are net rates.

The new things for multiple reactions that build on Figure 4-11 and Table 4-6 areNumber every reactionRate Law for every reactionRelative Rates for every reactionNet Rates of ReactionNumber every reaction
Rate Laws for every reaction
Relative Rates for each reactionFor a given reaction i

Net Rate of Formation for Species A that appears in N reactions,

Stoichiometry

NOTE: We could use the gas phase mole balance for liquids and then just express the concentration as
Flow CA = FA/υ0
Batch CA = NA/V0

Writing Net Rates of Formation

Applications of Algorithm

(1)NOTE: The specific reaction rate k1A is
defined with respect to species A.(2)NOTE: The specific reaction rate k2C is
defined with respect to species C.

These reactions will be used in the following 5 examples

• Liquid Phase PFR

• Liquid Phase CSTR

• Gas Phase PFR no ΔT

• Gas Phase Membrane Reactor with ΔT

• Liquid Phase Semibatch Reactor