This article describes a 16-channel reactor system specifically designed for the high throughput study of supported heterogeneous catalysts under well controlled conditions. Each of the individual channels of the reactor has been designed to operate as an autonomous plug flow reactor without thermal or product cross-talk: often associated with other reactors specifically designed for high throughput experimentation (HTE) studies. The flowrate difference between reactors was kept to a minimum through the use of orifices, and the temperature of each channel is continuously monitored. This level of control allows for the measurement of kinetically significant parameters in a high throughput manner. The system is also capable of studying transients occurring on the order of seconds, to further assist in kinetic analysis and understanding. Results are shown for the determination of reaction order during carbon monoxide oxidation over various supported metal catalysts measured under differential conversion. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.