Use a Calorimeter to Characterize Reactive Chemicals

Many chemical reactions produce heat that may be released over a very short period of time. If the energy or the mass of the reaction is not properly controlled, the reactor temperature and/or pressure may increase rapidly and an accident may result. The first step in preventing accidents due to chemical reactions is to characterize the reactive chemistry, which starts with answering questions about the reaction. This article provides the questions that must be answered, the apparatus used to obtain the data, the data analysis procedures to obtain determine parameters, and how these parameters are used to answer the initial questions. It also makes suggestions on how to apply this information to process design and operation.