Everything You need to know about Glass Reactor

A glass-lined reactor is widely utilised in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries because of its versatility and resistance to a wide variety of chemicals. The reactor is a vessel equipped with an agitator for controlled chemical mixing. The reactor manufactured by the most remarkable as well as noted glass reactors manufacturers can be operated at various temperatures and under pressure. Chemicals and gases can be introduced and cleaned out by nozzles in the reactor's head portion. Their capacities vary but commonly sit between 63 and 16000 litres.

 

Functioning of a glass-lined reactor:

Reactors function by allowing chemicals to be placed in a sealed container and then mixing them with a centrally located agitator. To facilitate chemical mixing and the operation of the reactor, the vessel will often feature baffles to increase internal turbulence. Given the right catalysts, chemicals, pressure, temperature, and contact duration, normal chemical reactions will occur. The final form may be crystallised or liquid.

Main Components present in Glass-lined reactor:

There are many parts that make up a glass-lined reactor. These include the main body, the top portion with connecting nozzles and manway, baffles, dip pipes, agitator with mechanical seal, tank outlet valve, and jacket for thermal transfer. Bursting discs and sight glasses, two examples of smaller components utilised for pressure relief and visibility, are widely employed.

Why are blue and white colours used in Glass-Lined reactors?

The cobalt that was first formulated into glass gave it a bluish tint. When deciding on a paint colour, cleanliness and the possibility of dust buildup are major factors to consider. In cases where consumers are worried about particles of a darker hue being left behind, they will typically choose a white glass for visibility reasons. A blue glass would be used if the particles were translucent. Moreover, white glass is typically easier to see inside of, making it a better choice if you intend to observe the response while it is being run.

Applications of Glass-lined reactors:

The principal usage is chemical mixing and the variants include the pressure, temperature, gases employed (hydrogenation/chlorination) and catalysts. Glass-lined reactors offered by one of the excellent glass reactor suppliers in Gujarat are able to be cleaned to a high degree which prevents batch carryover.

Various types of glass-lined reactors:

Under DIN, there are three different types of reactors that increase in volume as their name implies. The top head part of AE, BE, and CE-style reactors can be permanently attached or removed, while the reactors themselves come in a variety of volume sizes.

Concept of Glass lining:

Powdered glass is applied to the inside of a vessel and fused to the metal using heat and pressure in a kiln to create a glass lining. There is some leeway in thickness, as well as glass type and colour, but as a rule of thumb, 2mm is adequate for most purposes.

Various quality of glasses used:

The qualities of the glass will allow for a few varied performances in the vessel. The range of pH duties spanning acidic/basic situations can also be affected by the type of glass used. The glass can also have diverse colour qualities from transparent to white and bright/dark blue as examples. Ablaze Glass Works ranks among the top borosilicate glass reactor suppliers in Vadodara.

The thickness of glass in glass-lined reactors:

The thickness stays constant at 2mm which allows for deterioration by chemical reactions in the vessel.

Glass-lined reactor Benefits:

The versatility of the chemistry that can be done in a glass reactor is a significant benefit. Stainless reactors can discharge static electricity and work well with a wide variety of solvents. However, they have restrictions in environments with certain salts and acids (Hydrochloric in particular) (Chlorides). In most cases, reactors made of stainless steel will save you money.

Concept of Spark Test in the glass-lined reactor:

Any damage to the glass or cracks in the seal between the glass and the vessel wall will be revealed by this destructive maintenance test. The frequency of inspections is recommended to be once a year but should be adjusted for the vessel's purpose.

Inspection of Glass-lined vessels:

Spark testing and other conductive tests are the primary types. The vessels get a visual assessment upon entry as well. Once an order has arrived at the facility, the normal turnaround time is between 12 and 14 weeks.