Reaction

In process engineering, the term ‘reaction’ refers to the process in which substances interact under defined process conditions and undergo chemical or physico-chemical changes. In this process, reactants are converted, either wholly or partially, into new substances or product structures.

This process is always time-dependent and is influenced by factors such as temperature, substance concentration, mixing, residence time and energy input. In heterogeneous systems involving powders, granules or multiphase materials, particle contact, mass transfer and surface availability also play a significant role.

In practice, reactions frequently take place in specially designed reactors or process-integrated mixing vessels, in which reaction, mixing and product refinement are specifically combined.