DYNAMICS OF CATALYTIC REACTIONS AND REACTORS

Heterogeneous catalytic reactions and catalytic reactors are known to exhibit complex dynamic behavior and significant progress has been mad e, in the past two decades, in understanding this complexity using the tools of nonlinear dynamics and advanced experimental methods. This a rticle presents an overview of complex dynamic behavior in heterogeneo us catalysis and points out their intriguing nature along with practic al implications. The issues discussed are the source of oscillatory be havior, classification of complex motions, transitions to chaotic solu tions and spatiotemporal patterns in reactors of various geometries.