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The Weisz-Prater Criterion is used to predict whether pore diffusion limitations affect the performance of a catalyst. It must be checked in catalyst design to ensure that reaction rates are not diminished by limitations in mass transfer.

Activation Energy is the minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. It's a critical concept in chemical kinetics as higher activation energy means a slower reaction rate. It's also a key factor in the Arrhenius Equation which relates the rate constant and temperature.

Chemical Equilibrium occurs in a reaction when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction and the concentrations of the reactants and products remain constant. It is important for understanding reaction limits and optimizing conditions to favor the production of desired products.

The Sherwood Number is a dimensionless number used to describe the mass transfer at the interface of two phases, usually in a system where a solid phase is involved. It's important in reactor design when considering operations like absorption, desorption, or heterogeneous reactions.

A Batch Reactor is a closed system where no reactants are added or products removed during the reaction phase. It provides a controlled environment and is ideal for small-scale production and reactions requiring precise control over reactant ratios and reaction time. It is also useful for kinetic studies.

The Damköhler Number (Da) is a dimensionless quantity that compares chemical reaction timescales to flow or diffusion timescales. It is used to assess the relative importance of reaction kinetics versus mass transport processes in a reactor, guiding the reactor design and operation.

A PFR is a type of reactor where the flow of reactants progresses through the reactor without backmixing, with a velocity profile that is flat. It is often used for reactions with large conversion rates and can operate at steady state. The design allows for efficient use of reactor volume and is optimal for certain kinetic profiles.

The Reaction Order is the exponent to which the concentration of a reactant is raised in the rate equation. It indicates the effect of the reactant concentration on the reaction rate and is critical for understanding reaction kinetics and determining the appropriate form of the rate law.

Le Chatelier's Principle suggests that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium will move to counteract the change. This is significant in chemical reaction engineering to predict the effects of changes in pressure, temperature, and concentration on a system at equilibrium.

Heterogeneous Catalysis occurs when the phase of the catalyst is different from that of the reactants. It's critical in many industrial processes, offering distinct phases for easy separation and often providing improved control over reaction conditions.

The Law of Mass Action states that the rate of a chemical reaction is proportional to the product of the concentrations of the reactants, each raised to a power equal to the stoichiometric coefficient in the balanced chemical equation. This is important because it helps in determining the rate at which a reaction will proceed.

Catalysis is the process by which a substance, the catalyst, increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. It's important because catalysts are crucial for many industrial chemical processes, reducing the required activation energy and enabling more efficient chemical conversions.

The Thiele Modulus is a dimensionless number used in chemical reaction engineering to characterize the effectiveness of catalyst pellets. It indicates the relationship between diffusion and reaction rates within porous catalysts and is important for catalyst design and ensuring optimal reaction conditions.

The Rate Equation (or Rate Law) expresses the relationship between the rate of a chemical reaction and the concentration of its reactants. Important for designing reactors and understanding reaction kinetics, the rate equation often takes the form $r = k[A]^m[B]^n$ where $k$ is the rate constant, and $m$ and $n$ are the reaction orders with respect to reactants A and B.

The Arrhenius Equation gives the quantitative basis of the relationship between the rate constant ($k$) and temperature ($T$). It is expressed as $k = A e^{(-E_a/(RT))}$, where $A$ is the frequency factor, $E_a$ is the activation energy, $R$ is the gas constant, and $T$ is the temperature in Kelvin. This is vital for predicting how reaction rates change with temperature.

Selectivity is a measure of the ability of a chemical process to produce the desired product over undesired byproducts. It is defined by the ratio of the rate of formation of the desired product to the rate of formation of all products. High selectivity is often crucial for the economic and environmental viability of a chemical process.

Yield refers to the amount of product obtained from a chemical reaction relative to the theoretical maximum possible amount based on the reactants used. It is expressed as a percentage and is important for assessing the efficiency of a chemical process and for economic analysis.

A CSTR is a common type of chemical reactor where the reactants are continuously supplied and the products are continuously removed, while the contents within the reactor are well mixed. This type of reactor is important for reactions that require uniform conditions and is characterized by steady-state operation.