Chemical reactors are the vessels designed to contain chemical
reactions.These are the sites of the conversion of raw materials
into products & are also called heart of chemical
process.Design of chemical reactors where the bulk product would be
synthesized on a commercial scale would depend upon multiphase
aspects of chemical engineering.
Reactors are classified on the basis of certain features
like:Mode of operation (batch/semi batch/contain.)Types of phases
presentGeometry of the reactors
According the mode of operation:Batch reactor.The reactor in
which all the reactants are added together at the beginning of the
process & products removed at the last.
All the reagents are added at the commencement & no
addition/with drawl is made while reaction is progressing.
Continuous reactor. Reactor in which reactants are fed &
products/ by products are withdrawn in b/w while reaction is still
progressing. E.g Hyber process for ammonia production.
Continuous production will normally give lower production cost
as compared to batch.
Semi batch /semicont. reactorThe reactor that is operated with
both continuous and batch inputs and outputs.
In such reactors some of reactants may be added or some of
products can be withdrawn as reaction proceeds.
According the types of phases present:Homogenous phase
reactor.In this type of reactor reactants, products and any
catalyst used form the one continuous phase that is either liquid
or gaseous.
It always be operated continuously and normally used for
homogenous gas phase reactions.
Heterogeneous reactor This type of reactor used for carrying out
the reactions involving more than one phase.
Mechanically agitated tank reactor is used normally for these
type of heterogeneous reactions.
