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Chemical Equilibrium

Optimum Conditions for Industrial Yield

The compromise set of temperature, pressure and catalyst chosen to balance equilibrium yield against reaction rate and cost.

Unit Various

In depth

Thermodynamics and kinetics usually pull in opposite directions for exothermic industrial reactions: low temperature gives high yield but an unacceptably slow rate. The practical solution is a moderate temperature with an effective catalyst, plus product removal and reactant recycling.

Examples in the real world

The Haber process runs at about 450 °C and 200 atm with an iron catalyst, recycling unreacted gases.