In reactor design, the Thiele modulus can help in selecting the optimal particle size of the catalyst. For instance, if the reaction is found to be diffusion-limited (high Thiele modulus), reducing the catalyst particle size can lower the characteristic length \(L\), thereby reducing the Thiele modulus and improving the reaction rate. Conversely, if the reaction is reaction-rate limited, increasing the particle size may have negligible impact on the overall reaction rate.
