The flow pattern in the equipment can be the main performance index for its internal structure. Innovation of process equipment is to optimize its internal structure for desired flow pattern. Numerical simulation, as a primary research approach of fluid flow pattern, is not easy and economical to perform in large-scale or complex equipment, but the residence time distribution (RTD) experiment has the advantages of simplicity and convenience. In order to estimate the flow pattern with RTD experiments, taking the typical baffle structure as an example, several groups of structures were designed to compare and analyze the residence time distribution and the flow patterns corresponding to the structures, which can provide clues for short circuits judgement and determination of reasonable structures. The results showed that the short circuit and dead zone in the equipment were relativistic. The peak time and tailing of the RTD density function curve can be used to judge the short circuit and dead zone in the equipment. This conclusion can provide a theoretical basis for equipment design. The number of tanks in the multi-tank series model and the peak time and variance of the RTD curve were used to analyze the influence of flow rate, baffle gap area and plate spacing on the fluid flow pattern in the equipment. With the study of the pressure drop and the comprehensive consideration of the energy consumption and performance of the equipment, the most suitable tanks number, peak time and variance were put forward based on RTD experiments to determine the reasonable structure of the equipment, which provided a reference for the structural design of industrial baffle equipment.