This book presents a wealth of knowledge on reaction kinetics and its application to chemical reactor design and operation; and intended as a text for students in technical college and graduate school, and also for scientists and engineers engaged in chemical research and development. In the second half of the twentieth century, the chemical industry has made remarkable progress based on the developments of petroleum chemistry and polymer science, representing the innovations in both chemical process and product, respectively. Recently, a deliberate shift in paradigm from process to product innovation seems to be emphasized in the chemical industry. Since no chemical product can be manufactured without a properly designed process to produce it, the significance of process innovation should also be noted. In this connection, reactor design and its operation, which both play a key role in the chemical process, may be considered the key to chemical technology.