Stainless Steel Jacketed Chemical Reactor with PLC Agitator & Steam Heating

When a process calls for consistent heat transfer and reliable mixing, the vessel itself has to be built around the duty it will see. This jacketed reaction kettle is designed for chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing lines where batch temperatures need to be controlled and the contents need to be agitated uniformly.

We build these reactors from 304 or 316L stainless steel, depending on the corrosiveness of your feedstocks. The choice of grade matters more than most buyers realize. If you are handling chlorides or acidic compounds, 316L is the safer call. For general synthesis, neutralization, or blending duties, 304 holds up fine and costs less. The inner shell is welded by certified welders and fully penetrated where required, then pickled and passivated. Internal surfaces are mechanically polished to a Ra ≤ 0.4 µm finish when you need easy cleaning and low product retention, or to a standard 2B finish for less critical duties.

The jacket is the workhorse here. We use a conventional dimple or half-pipe coil jacket depending on your pressure and temperature profile. Steam heating through the jacket provides fast, even warming of the batch. When the reaction runs exothermic, you can switch the same jacket to cooling water or brine. The PLC-controlled agitator lets you set speed ramps and hold times, so you are not stuck with a single-speed motor. We fit mechanical seals or magnetic drives based on whether you run under vacuum or need zero fugitive emissions.

This equipment shows up in resin production, dye intermediates, polymer blending, herbal extraction, and cosmetic emulsion work. Each of those industries has different expectations for cleaning validation and batch repeatability, which is why we keep the design modular. You can add a reflux condenser, a bottom discharge valve, a manhole for solid charging, or a CIP spray ball without re-engineering the whole vessel.

Technical Specifications

FAQ

Q: How do I know if I need 304 or 316L?
Send us the chemical composition and concentration of your process fluids. If chlorides are present above a few hundred ppm, 316L is the safer choice. If you are processing solvents, oils, or neutral aqueous solutions, 304 will serve you well.

Q: Can I run this reactor under vacuum?
Yes. The vessel can be designed for full vacuum service. We will specify the appropriate wall thickness, stiffening rings, and seal type. Vacuum distillation and solvent recovery are common applications.

Q: What kind of agitator should I choose?
For high-viscosity products like resins or adhesives, an anchor agitator with PTFE scrapers gives good heat transfer and mixing. For low-viscosity liquids and faster reactions, a pitched-blade turbine or a retreat-curve impeller works better. Tell us your viscosity range and we will match the impeller to it.

Q: How do I clean the vessel between batches?
The polished internal surface helps a lot. If your process requires it, we can add a CIP spray ball and a flush-bottom discharge valve so you can clean without opening the manhole.

When you are ready to spec a reactor, pull together the details of your material, batch volume, operating temperature, pressure, and the kind of mixing you need. Send those to us and we will get back to you with a configuration and a price that fits the actual job.