The batch glass reactor are vessels that are used for several processes that include product mixing, chemical reactions, crystallization, and batch distillation.
The batch reactors include combinations of multiple tanks, a cooling-system and storage tanks with agitators. These vessels are available in different sizes and will depend on the industries that they are used in. These vessels range from 1 liter up to 15,000 liters. These batch reactors are often fabricated in glass, glass-lined steel, alloy, or steel.
Batch Reactor Design
#1 Agitator
The agitator is a batch glass reactor is made up of a central-driveshaft that comes with a drive-unit. The driveshaft features impeller blades. The design and size of these blades are usually dependent on the products that are processed. The heavier products obviously require stronger and faster blades.
The baffles are the stationary blades that serve the purpose of breaking the flow that the rotating agitator causes. These baffles are either installed on the cover of the vessel or inside the walls of the agitator. The designs that feature a combination of agitator blades and baffles are highly efficient, yet electricity usage is also very high. More than 5 watts per liter of energy can be expected, which places a burden on the cooling systems.
# 2 Cooling And Heating System
The products inside the agitator usually contain a significant amount of heat caused by the agitation or stirring process. The cooling and heating system is designed to maintain a specific heat temperature of products inside the agitator. Heat can either be removed or added from a product using a cooling-pipe.
The heating or cooling pipes serve the purpose of cooling or heating the batch reactor. In most cases, an external cooling system is a preferred choice as these are easy to clean.
# 3 Batch Reactor Cooling Jackets
There are various cooling jacket types used for batch glass reactors. The main purpose of these cooling jackets is for regulating the temperature of the reactors. The cooling jackets are made up of the exterior layer of a reactor, that features coils that control and maintain the temperature. Cooling fluids move through the pipes of this outer layer which assists with regulating the temperature. Here is a list of the common types of batch reactor cooling jackets.
– Single External Jacket
The single jackets are a type of outer jacket that surrounds the glass vessel. It is made up of one coil that is wound around the vessel to regulate the temperature. Cooling fluids pass through this coil to control the vessel’s temperature.
– Half Coil Jacket
With these jackets, the pipes will be split lengthwise which creates 2 circulation paths in these cooling jackets. This system allows heating and cooling fluids to travel through this system at high turbulence and speed.
– Constant Flux Cooling Jacket
These units feature heat-transfer channels. Every channel is welded onto the vessel. When multiple heating channels connect to a reactor vessel, this results in improved heat production. These systems are also very effective in cooling vessels.
