The tracer method was first introduced to measure the actual flow of fluid in a vessel, and then to develop a suitable model to represent this flow. Such models are used to follow the flow of fluid in chemical reactors and other process units, in rivers and streams, and through soils and porous structures. Also, in medicine they are used to study the flow of chemicals, harmful or not, in the blood streams of animals and man.

Tracer Technology, written by Octave Levenspiel, shows how we use tracers to follow the flow of fluids and then we develop a variety of models to represent these flows. This activity is called tracer technology.

The Tracer Method.- The Mean and Variance of a Tracer Curve.- The E and the F Curves.- Two Ideal Flow Models - Plug Flow and Mixed Flow.- Compartment Models.- The Dispersion Model.- Intermixing Between Flowing Fluids.- The Tanks-in-Series Model.- Convection Model for Laminar Flow in Pipes.- Batch Systems.- The Stirred Tank - Mixing Time and Power Requirement.- Meandering Flow and Lateral Dispersion.