Step 1: Definition of Recycle Ratio.
In process engineering, the recycle ratio is an important metric used to quantify the amount of recycled material in a system. It is defined as the ratio of the recycled stream to the fresh feed stream. \[ \text{Recycle Ratio} = \frac{\text{Recycle stream}}{\text{Fresh feed stream}}. \]
Step 2: Explanation of terms.
Recycle stream: This is the portion of the output that is sent back to the input of the system, effectively being reused.
Fresh feed stream: This is the input of new material added to the system, which is not recycled.
Step 3: Calculate the Recycle Ratio.
The recycle ratio helps in understanding how much of the output is being reused in the process, and it is typically used in various industrial processes such as distillation, chemical reactors, etc.
Final Answer: The recycle ratio is defined as the recycle stream over the fresh feed stream.