Accelerating reactor development with accessible simulation and automated optimization tools

•Automated optimization techniques are applied to catalytic chemical reactor design.•Open source and low-cost tools are utilized (OpenFOAM, DETCHEM, DAKOTA).•The optimization process is used to explore design changes to a CPOX monolith reactor.•In one example, peak solid T reduced 120 °C with >1.6x improvement in productivity.•Optimization with CFD, as in this example, can improve process intensified designs.