What Is A High Pressure Reactor

High pressure reactor is a special kind of reactor, which can be used to realize high pressure conditions in chemical reactions. It is usually made of high-strength metal materials, such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, etc., and has corrosion resistance. The working pressure of commonly used high-pressure reactors is between 10MPa and 100MPa, and some reactors can meet higher pressure requirements.

Brief introduction of common components and functions

• Reaction vessel: The reaction vessel is the main part of the high-pressure reaction kettle, which is used to contain reactants and catalysts. It is usually made of pressure-resistant and corrosion-resistant metal materials, such as stainless steel or titanium alloy.
• Sealing system: The sealing system is used to ensure the sealing performance of the high-pressure reactor and prevent the leakage of reactants and pressure. It usually includes gasket, sealing ring, threaded connection and other parts, and is equipped with appropriate fastening devices.
• Heating/cooling system: The heating/cooling system is used to control the temperature of the high-pressure reactor. It can provide heating by electric heater or external heat conduction, or cooling by cooling circulation system.
• Stirring system: Stirring system is used to provide stirring during the reaction to ensure uniform mixing of reactants and reaction efficiency. Mixing system usually consists of electric motor, mixing shaft and blades.
• Pressure control system: The pressure control system is used to monitor and adjust the pressure in the high-pressure reactor. It usually includes pressure sensors, safety valves, pressure gauges and other components to ensure the safety in the reaction process.
• Separation system: The separation system is used to separate products and by-products after the reaction. It can include filtration device, decompression system, alkali washing system, etc., and is designed according to specific separation requirements.
• Control system: The control system is used to monitor and control various parameters of the high-pressure reaction kettle, such as temperature, pressure and stirring speed. It can be controlled manually or automatically, providing convenience and safety for operation.

Common types of high-pressure reactors

1. According to the volume, high-pressure autoclaves can be divided into micro-reactors, small-scale reactors and medium-scale trial reactors. The volume of micro-reactor is usually below 100ml, which is suitable for small-scale experiments and synthesis. The volume of small reactor is between 100 ml and 2000 ml, which is suitable for routine laboratory research and preparation. The volume of the pilot-scale reactor is over 2000ml, which is suitable for pilot-scale production and research.

2. According to the material, high-pressure reactor equipment can be divided into glass reactors, stainless steel reactors and alloy reactors. Glass reactors are usually used to observe and detect chemical reactions, stainless steel reactors are suitable for most chemical reactions, and alloy reactors are used for reactions that require special materials, such as strong acid and alkali.

3. According to the heating and cooling methods, the devices can be divided into jacketed heating reactors, electric heating reactors and freezing reactors. Jacket heating reactor is usually used for reactions with low heating temperature, electric heating reactor is suitable for reactions with high temperature, and freezing reactor is used for reactions with low temperature.

4. According to the reaction mode, reactors can be divided into batch reactors, parallel reactors and continuous reactors. Batch reactors are suitable for batch production and experiments, parallel reactors are used for multiple experiments or preparations at the same time, and continuous reactors are used for reactions that require continuous feeding and discharging.

In addition, according to different pressures, chemical HP reactors can also be divided into normal pressure reactors, negative pressure reactors and high-pressure reactors. Among them, high-pressure reactors can be divided into carbon steel, stainless steel, glass, enamel, zirconium and nickel-based reactors.

Precautions for use

1. The high-pressure reaction kettle should be used in the designated place and operated according to the instructions.

2. Find out the test pressure, service pressure and maximum service temperature engraved on the main container, and use it within its allowable conditions.

3. The pressure used by the manometer is preferably within 1/2 of its indicated pressure. The manometer is often compared with the standard manometer and corrected.

4. Pressure gauges for oxygen should not be mixed with pressure gauges for other gases.

5. Safety valves and other safety devices should use instruments that meet the specified requirements after regular inspection.

6. It must be noted that the thermometer should be accurately inserted into the reaction solution during operation.

7. The interior of the high-pressure reaction kettle and the gasket parts should be kept clean. The replacement of the gasket should be based on the actual situation, and the cycle of replacing the gasket may be different because of the different materials in the kettle.

8. When the disc flange cover is covered, the diagonal bolts should be tightened in pairs.

9. If the agitator motor of the high-pressure reaction kettle is running, it is found that the agitator does not turn or is abnormally hot, it should be stopped immediately for inspection.

10. If the sealing ring leaks, the sealing ring is seriously worn, the agitator does not rotate or is abnormally heated, the material in the kettle leaks, and the motor slips or does not rotate during operation, it should be stopped immediately and checked for maintenance.

11. Before operation, it should be carefully checked that there is no abnormality, and it is forbidden to open the cover and touch the direct wire terminal on the board during normal operation to avoid electric shock. For more information about the reactors, please contact us via sales@achievechem.com

Application area

• Chemical reaction: The high-pressure reaction kettle can control the temperature and pressure of the reaction, promote the chemical reaction, accelerate the reaction speed, improve the reaction yield and product quality, and reduce the yield of side reaction products.
• Material synthesis: The reactor can be used to prepare various new materials, such as nano-materials, oxide materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and so on.
• Petroleum and natural gas field: The high-pressure reactor can simulate the chemical reactions in petroleum and natural gas under high pressure and high temperature conditions, so as to study the selection and efficiency of catalysts, improve the processing technology of chemical products and reduce energy consumption.
• Biomedical research: The autoclave machine can be used in biomedical research, such as protein crystallization and drug synthesis.
• Aerospace field: Autoclaves can be used to synthesize new metal materials, superalloys, long-life ceramic materials, etc. to meet the application requirements in aerospace field.