CONTINUOUS-FLOW SYSTEMS - DISTRIBUTION OF RESIDENCE TIMES (REPRINTED FROM CHEM-ENGNG-SCI, VOL 2, PG 1-13, 1953)

When a fluid flows through a vessel at a constant rate, either ''pisto n-flow'' or perfect mixing is usually assumed. In practice, many syste ms do not conform to either of these assumptions, so that calculations based on them may be inaccurate. It is explained how distribution-fun ctions for residence-times can be defined and measured for actual syst ems. Open and packed tubes are discussed as systems about which predic tions can be made. The use of the distribution-functions is illustrate d by showing how they can be used to calculate the efficiencies of rea ctors and blenders. It is shown how models may be used to predict the distribution of residence-times in large systems.