Definition A non-Newtonian fluid is any fluid whose viscosity varies with applied shear stress or shear rate, rather than remaining constant as described by Newton’s law of viscosity. Unlike Newtonian fluids such as water or air, non-Newtonian fluids exhibit changes…
Definition Definition A plate heat exchanger (PHE) is a type of heat transfer equipment that uses a series of thin metal plates to transfer heat between two fluids. The plates are arranged to form alternating flow channels, allowing hot and…
Eliminating Thermal Runaway and Scale-Up Challenges How Tubular Reactors Are Reshaping Continuous Chemical Manufacturing In the fine chemical and specialty chemical industries, process engineers face two persistent challenges: thermal runaway and scale-up failure. The former threatens plant safety, while the…
Definition A heat exchanger is a device used to transfer thermal energy between two fluids in order to achieve heating, cooling, condensation, or vaporization. In most heat exchangers, the fluids are separated by a solid wall or heat-transfer surface, allowing…
Definition A tubular reactor, also known as a tube reactor, is a continuous-flow reactor characterized by its tubular shape and high length-to-diameter ratio. Depending on process requirements, a tubular reactor may consist of a single tube or multiple tubes arranged…
Definition A condenser is a type of heat exchanger primarily used to convert vapor into liquid through cooling. In chemical processing, refrigeration systems, and power generation, condensers remove heat from a vapor stream and promote phase change from the gaseous…
Definition A reboiler is a heating device used to vaporize liquid at the bottom of a distillation column. Also known as a bottom heater, it provides the thermal energy required to generate vapor, which rises through the column and supports…
Definition A gas distributor is a device used in gas-liquid or gas-solid separation and reaction equipment to distribute gas evenly across a process vessel. Its primary function is to ensure that gas enters the equipment at a uniform velocity and…
Definition A liquid distributor is a device used to distribute liquid evenly across the cross-sectional area of a packed bed or mass transfer column. Its primary purpose is to minimize the amplification effects caused by poor liquid distribution and to…
Definition Liquid-liquid extraction, also known as solvent extraction, is a separation process that utilizes differences in the solubility or distribution behavior of components between two liquid phases. The objective is to separate, recover, or concentrate a target substance from a…