Reactors, in which chemical reactions are carried out, come in all shapes and sizes. They can be small enough to hold a single reaction container or large enough to contain an entire nuclear power plant.
Large batch reactors typically use baffles to break up flow caused by the agitator. This reduces energy required to agitate the vessel contents. However, mixing energies are still limited by heat transfer capability.
Reactors for Sale
Chemical reactors for sale range from the very small vessels used in laboratory tests to the massive structures that are often depicted in photographs of industrial plants. Whether they are for producing gasoline from crude oil, synthesising ammonia from its elements, or even for making cement, these huge devices perform the same function: they contain chemical reactions that produce valuable products.
One of the major types of reactor is called a tubular reactor, which has multiple reaction zones and cooling zones, which are designed to operate in sequence, according to a specific reactor design. Its unique construction allows the system to be able to handle a large quantity of product with a smaller overall volume. Its main advantage is that it can provide a very fast response to changing conditions in the reaction process.
Another type of tubular used reactors is a packed bed reactor, which uses catalyst particles that are embedded within the reactivity material. Despite having challenges in controlling temperature, this reactor provides the highest conversion per weight of catalyst.
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Batch Reactors
A batch buy reactors is the simplest type of industrial process vessel. It consists of a tank where chemical reactions occur and an internal heating or cooling system. The liquids or solids used in a batch reaction are charged through connections on the reactor’s top cover, while vapors and gases produced during the reaction are discharged from outlets at the bottom of the container. Batch reactors are commonly used in steel, stainless steel, glass and exotic alloy production.
The biggest advantage of batch reactors is that multiple operations can be carried out in a single vessel without breaking containment. This allows for the processing of toxic or dangerous chemicals that would otherwise require a complex containment setup.
Batch reactors are typically large enough to hold the entire inventory of raw materials for a specified time period. This time period may be limited or unlimited, depending on the needs of a specific operation. Once the reaction is complete, the batch is removed from the reactor and the process can begin anew.
Products inside batch reactors often liberate or absorb heat during the production process, so heating and cooling are required to control temperature. Usually, heating and cooling is accomplished with jackets that fit around the vessel, with heating coils installed in the jacket and cooling pipes inside the reactor to add or remove heat as needed.
Continuous Reactors
Using continuous industrial reactors systems, chemical manufacturers are able to produce products as needed rather than in batches. This is ideal for just-in-time manufacturing, where production is scaled up or down based on demand, and it helps reduce waste and inventory costs. Continuous processes also allow for more precise control of process parameters and product quality, which is critical in ensuring that each batch meets specific specifications.
The most common type of continuous reactor is the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), which consists of a large tank or vessel with a mechanical stirring mechanism. Reactants are continuously fed into the reactor through inlet ports, and products are continuously removed from the reactor through outlet ports. The reaction is in a constant state of equilibrium, which means the reactants are constantly moving through the system without mixing with each other.
CSTRs have been used for decades and are well-characterized with respect to performance and behavior. They are capable of handling solids, and they can be connected in series to telescope a process or narrow the residence time distribution (RTD). Advanced CSTR systems feature integrated series of CSTRs to reduce mechanical complexity and increase reliability.
Another form of a continuous reactor is a tubular reactor, which consists of a long tube that can be heated or cooled to adjust the reaction. These reactors can be used for a variety of applications, including Friedel Craft Acylation, saponification, photo-oxidation, isomerization and neutralization.
Microreactors
The newest generation of reactors is so small they can be built in factories and delivered to sites where chemicals are needed in a “plug-and-play” way. They’re called microreactors, and they may soon become the new standard in chemical production.
In theory, a microreactor could be used to produce almost any chemical, from complex drugs to simple polymers and plastics. But for now, they’re being explored as clean nuclear power plants—the kind that can be built and deployed quickly, from university campuses to disaster zones, or even bases on the moon.
A microreactor is basically a chip that’s filled with a reaction mixture. One of the most common microreactor designs is a ‘T’ shape that’s etched into a solid base material, with fluid lines running through it. Reagents and catalyst are added separately, the system is started up, and a continuous flow forms the reaction mix in the microchannel.
Because the reaction volume is so small, mixing performance is much better than in a traditional vessel. Temperature gradients are also much smaller, which can allow critical reactions like nitrations to be safely conducted at high temperatures. And the overall heat transfer rate is much higher, too. This allows chemicals to be processed continuously, avoiding the need for unstable intermediates to be stored for hours before the next step is performed, which could expose them to degradation.
