Abstract: Batch reaction systems are a nonlinear dynamic system that exhibits parametric sensitivity within a certain operating range. Experiments were carried out on hydrolysis reaction of acetic anhydride with a catalyst of sulfuric acid to study the parameter sensitivity of the batch reaction system under different initial temperature and initial concentration conditions. The critical parameters of the batch reaction system were simulated according to the critical criterion based on traces of Jacobian matrix. The research results show that the small changes in the parameter value will cause drastic changes of temperature when the operating parameters approach the critical value, and that the critical criterion based on traces of Jacobian matrix can accurately predict the critical parameters of the thermal runaway system, the simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Key words: batchwise, reaction system, parametric sensitivity, thermal runaway, critical criterion