Introduction to flow
Flow chemistry is where reactants are continually pumped into a reactor and product continually leaves. The reaction pathway is determined by both the underlying chemisty and the reactor characteristics - there is an intersection of chemistry and technology in determining the final outcome.
The choice of the reactor is important for the success of flow chemistry - two main classes of meso-scale reactors commonly found in laboratories are tubular reactors (constructed from coils of tubing) and cascade continuous stirred tank reactors on which the fReactor platform is built. These reactors bring different characteristics - whether in the way fluid travels through the reactor (the residence time distribution) or in their ability to handle mass-transfer between phases. Understanding these characteristics through the use of our intuitive apps will give you a better understanding of your technology, to correctly describe your reaction conditions and in turn bring greater success in creating your chemical products.