Reactor Design

Vertical cylindrical vessel with jacket or internal coils for heating and cooling, top-mounted agitator with variable speed drive, multiple feed nozzles at different heights, temperature sensors throughout liquid volume, pressure monitoring and control, sampling ports, and bottom discharge valve. Design balances heat transfer, mixing intensity, and residence time for specific chemistry.

Heat Transfer Systems

Jacketed walls circulate hot oil, steam, or chilled water controlling reaction temperature. Internal coils add surface area when jacket alone can't handle heat load. Some exothermic reactions generate heat faster than jacket removes it, risking temperature runaway. Proper heat transfer design keeps reactions safe and on-target.

Agitation Requirements

Motor-driven impellers create turbulence mixing reactants, suspending catalysts, and maintaining uniform temperature. Turbine impellers work for low-viscosity liquids. Anchors or helical ribbons handle thick materials. Seal selection prevents hazardous material leakage - mechanical seals for most service, magnetic drive for zero-emission requirements.

Material Choices

Stainless steel 316L suits most organic synthesis. Hastelloy or Inconel handle highly corrosive chemistry. Glass-lined steel protects against acids while allowing visual inspection. Titanium resists chlorine and strong oxidizers. Material selection considers temperature, pressure, and chemical compatibility.

Operating Modes

Batch reactors fill with reactants, run the reaction, then discharge product. Continuous reactors maintain steady feed and withdrawal. Semi-batch operation adds one reactant gradually to another already in vessel. Mode selection depends on reaction kinetics, heat generation, and production volume.

Applications

Pharmaceutical API synthesis, specialty chemical production, polymer manufacturing, esterification reactions, hydrogenation processes, and any chemistry requiring precise environmental control. Vessels range from 50-liter pilots to 50,000-liter commercial scale.

Temperature Control

Automated systems modulate jacket fluid flow maintaining setpoint. Exothermic reactions need fast cooling response preventing temperature spikes. Endothermic processes require steady heat input. Control valves, temperature transmitters, and PLC coordination manage thermal profile.

Pressure Management

Some reactions run under pressure to keep volatile components liquid or drive equilibrium toward products. Others need vacuum removing water or light by-products. Pressure control valves, vacuum pumps, and relief systems manage vessel pressure safely.

Safety Features

Relief valves protect against runaway reactions or blocked outlets. Rupture discs provide backup protection. Emergency cooling systems quench reactions if control fails. Vent lines route hazardous releases to scrubbers or containment. Design follows inherently safer principles.

Construction Standards

Fabrication per ASME Section VIII with materials meeting process requirements. Agitator design follows mechanical equipment standards. Relief sizing accounts for reaction kinetics and worst-case scenarios. Vessels ship with material certifications, FAT documentation, and operating manuals.

ERGIL reaction vessels give chemical manufacturers the control and safety needed for efficient synthesis from lab scale through full production.