A review of the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) applications in solid unit operations

This review traces current applications of the residence time theory in various solid unit operations. Besides reviewing recent experimental and simulation studies in the literature, some common modeling and tracer detection techniques applied in continuous flow systems are also considered. We attempt to clarify and emphasize the influence of the residence time profile on the unit performance, which is the key in system design and performance improvement of practical unit operations. The development of predictive modeling is also an important goal in the long-term development of the residence time theory.