What Is The Difference Between Glass-lined Reactor And Stainless Steel Reactor

Stainless steel reactors are a type of reactor made primarily from stainless steel materials, typically 304 or 316L grades, and are commonly used in various industries including the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and petroleum industries.

These reactors are designed for a wide range of production processes, such as water hydrolysis, neutralization, crystallization, distillation, and evaporation. They are also equipped with various features such as mixing devices, heaters, and agitators to ensure proper mixing and heat transfer.

SS reactors are designed for longevity and high performance in severe chemical environments and are able to withstand high pressures and temperatures. They are also easy to maintain due to their corrosion-resistant properties.

In terms of operation, stainless steel reactors are typically equipped with control systems that allow for precise temperature control and monitoring of reaction progress, as well as safety features such as pressure release valves and emergency shutdown systems.

 

A glass-lined reactor, also known as a glass-lined vessel or glass-lined tank, is a type of chemical reactor that has a glass lining or coating on the inner surface of the vessel. The glass lining provides a protective barrier between the corrosive process fluids or chemicals inside the reactor and the metal surface of the vessel.

The construction of a glass reactor typically consists of a carbon steel shell or body, which provides structural support, strength, and durability. The inner surface of the reactor is then coated or lined with a layer of specially formulated glass material.

The glass lining is applied to the inner surface of the reactor using techniques such as spraying, fusing, or enameling. It forms a strong and inseparable bond with the metal surface, creating a smooth, non-porous, and chemically resistant barrier.

 

       

The main difference between a glass reactor and a stainless steel reactor lies in the material used to construct their inner surfaces.

 

Material: A glass chemical reactor has a glass lining or coating on the inner surface of the reactor vessel, which is typically made of carbon steel. In contrast, a stainless reactor is made entirely of stainless steel, including the inner surface.

Chemical Resistance: Glass lining provides excellent chemical resistance against a wide range of corrosive substances, making it suitable for handling various reactive chemicals and pharmaceutical products. Stainless steel, particularly high-grade stainless steel such as 316L, also offers good chemical resistance but may not be as resistant as glass-lined reactors in certain aggressive chemical environments.

Thermal Shock Resistance: Glass reactors equipment tend to have better thermal shock resistance compared to stainless steel reactors. The glass lining can withstand rapid changes in temperature without cracking or fracturing, making it suitable for processes involving temperature variations. Stainless steel reactors unit may be more susceptible to thermal shock, especially if exposed to extreme temperature changes.

Cleanability: Glass reactors product generally have a smoother and non-porous surface, making them easier to clean and provide better product release characteristics. SS reactors vessel can also be cleaned effectively, but their surface may be slightly more prone to sticking or fouling.

Cost: Glass reactions are typically more expensive than stainless steel, primarily due to the cost of the glass lining and the additional processing required during manufacturing.

 

The Types of SS Reactors

• Tower reactor with large height-diameter ratio: This reactor is usually used for gas-liquid reaction and liquid-liquid reaction, such as alkylation tower for benzene alkylation to ethylbenzene.
• Fixed bed reactor: This kind of reactor is usually used for gas-solid catalytic reaction, and its basic structure includes a reactor body, packing layer, catalyst particles and so on. In a fluidized bed reactor, the solid catalyst is in a fluidized state, and the reactor is called a fluidized bed reactor, which is mainly used for gas-solid catalytic reactions, such as the ammoxidation of propylene to propylene, the oxidation of Cai or o-xylene to benzene, etc.
• Kettle reactor: Kettle reactor is a comprehensive reaction vessel, and the structure, function and accessories of the reactor are designed according to the reaction conditions. A kettle reactor generally consists of a kettle body, a kettle cover, a jacket, a stirrer, a transmission device, a shaft seal device, a support and the like.

A new design of stainless steel reactors, especially for avoiding solid reaction materials from settling to the bottom of stainless steel reactor, has made the following improvements:

On the basis of the traditional ss reactor, an auxiliary stainless reactor bottom is added. This auxiliary bottom is slightly higher than the actual one, leaving a gap of 3 ~ 10 cm. The advantage of this design is that the solid reactants will be deposited on the bottom of this auxiliary reactor, and the thermal insulation layer will not be formed on the actual reactor bottom. The heat transfer will be continuous and uniform through the convection between the bottom gaps of stainless steel reaction kettle.

In addition, this auxiliary bottom can also be used as a support. When the solid reaction material is heavily loaded, a metal ring can be added under the auxiliary bottom as a support. In this way, the solid materials can be prevented from being concentrated at the bottom of the stainless steel reaction kettle, and the materials are carbonized due to overheating, and the color of the products becomes darker. This kind of metal screen can also be purchased from the market, and small stainless steel reactors can also be designed and manufactured by themselves.

This design not only improves the production efficiency, reduces the problems of material carbonization and product color darkening, but also prolongs the service life of equipment and reduces the production cost of enterprises.

The Jacketed Design

The double-layer structure of chemical reactor usually refers to a combined cylinder structure consisting of two cylindrical cylinders, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The design of this structure can improve the stability and safety of stainless steel reactor.

 

1. Enhance pressure resistance: The design of double-layer structure makes an annular space between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, which can be filled with inert gas or thermal insulation materials, effectively slowing down the influence of external pressure on the inner cylinder and enhancing the pressure resistance of the whole reactor.

2. Accurate temperature control: Because the annular space in the double-layer structure can be filled with thermal insulation materials, the temperature fluctuation of the inner cylinder is limited to a small range. This precise temperature control can improve the efficiency and stability of chemical reaction and reduce the occurrence of temperature-sensitive side reactions.

3. Reduce the risk of corrosion: the design of double-layer structure can make a certain temperature difference between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, which can reduce the corrosion effect of chemicals in the inner cylinder on the outer cylinder and prolong the service life of the reactor.

4. Convenient leak detection: The design of double-layer structure can set monitoring devices inside the outer cylinder, such as pressure gauges and thermometers, which can monitor the pressure and temperature changes of chemicals in the inner cylinder in real time. If the inner cylinder leaks, it can be found in time and corresponding measures can be taken to improve the safety of the reactor.

5. Convenient installation and maintenance: The stainless steel reactors with double-layer structure is more convenient to install and maintain. Because the annular space between the inner and outer cylinders can be filled with gas or liquid, the reactor is more flexible and convenient in transportation and installation. At the same time, the connection part between the inner and outer cylinders can adopt reliable connection methods such as flange connection or welding, which is convenient for maintenance and replacement of parts.