Design, performance characterization and applications of continuous oscillatory baffled reactors

The continuous oscillatory baffled reactor (OBR) is a particular type of tubular reactor, which has drawn increasing attention over the past few decades due to the benefits it provides in terms of intensification of heat and mass transfer, as well as equipment compactness compared with stirred tank reactors. This process enhancement is principally due to the interaction of the oscillatory flow with internal baffles and the consequent generation of transverse flows and eddies. Continuous OBRs are already applied in several industrial sectors, however these reactors present certain limitations in terms of operating conditions and the range of possible applications. This review presents and discusses the current knowledge on continuous OBR design guidelines, performance characterization and applications. It aims to guide the selection of the most appropriate continuous OBR design, as well as the characterization criteria, according to the type of application and final process objective.