Theory 14/Seconds to Minutes/Chemical reactors
Runaway Is Removal Against Heat
The claim
Thermal runaway occurs when the ratio of heat generation rate to heat removal rate exceeds one at the operating point, not when the temperature is high.
01Mechanism
Reaction rate rises with temperature while removal rises linearly; when generation outpaces removal, the operating point is unstable.
02Prediction
Runaway should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Runaway tracking temperature would remove the balance.