Vacuum & Atmospheric Reactors with Heating/Cooling and Efficient Mixing

Our heating and cooling vacuum atmospheric reactors are built for process flexibility. Whether you\’re running solvent recovery under vacuum, maintaining exothermic control at atmospheric pressure, or switching between batch conditions, the same vessel can handle it—provided the internal design matches your process chemistry.

We fabricate these reactors from 304L or 316L stainless steel, depending on the corrosiveness of your media. Shell and jacket thicknesses are calculated from your working pressure and temperature, not guessed. Welds are fully penetrated and ground smooth where they contact the product. Interior surfaces can be mirror-polished to Ra ≤ 0.4 µm for pharmaceutical or food duty, or left with a 2B finish for general chemical service. The choice affects both cleanability and cost, and we\’ll help you decide based on your cleaning protocol.

The heating/cooling jacket is designed around your thermal profile. We use a conventional single jacket for moderate duty, or a half-pipe coil jacket when you need faster temperature response. For processes that require tight control, we can add an internal coil or external heat exchanger loop. The stirrer is selected from anchor, paddle, turbine, or helical ribbon types, depending on viscosity and mixing requirements. Shaft seals range from packed glands to mechanical seals with double seals for volatile or toxic media.

These reactors see regular use in fine chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical intermediate production, resin and adhesive manufacturing, and food ingredient processing. A typical application is a batch process where you add reagents at atmospheric pressure, heat to reflux, then cool and pull vacuum to strip solvent. The same vessel must handle both regimes without leaks or contamination.

Technical Specifications

FAQ

Q: Can I run both vacuum and pressure in the same reactor?
Yes, but the shell thickness and head design must accommodate the worst-case condition. We\’ll calculate for full vacuum plus your maximum pressure, and design the nozzle layout accordingly.

Q: How do I choose between a single jacket and half-pipe coil?
Single jackets are simpler and cheaper for moderate heating/cooling rates. Half-pipe coils give higher heat transfer coefficients and faster response, but cost more and are harder to clean. For most chemical processes, a single jacket is sufficient.

Q: What stirrer type is best for my product?
Anchor stirrers work for low to medium viscosity and provide good heat transfer near the wall. Turbines are better for mixing and dispersion. Helical ribbons handle high-viscosity pastes. Send us your viscosity and shear requirements, and we\’ll recommend the right option.

Q: Do you provide documentation for pressure vessels?
We can supply material test certificates, weld maps, hydrostatic test reports, and optional ASME or PED certification if required. Let us know your target market.

Before requesting a quote, gather these details: your product\’s chemical composition and concentration, batch volume and working volume, operating and design temperatures, pressure or vacuum requirements, and the mixing intensity you need. Also note any cleaning or seal requirements. With that information, our engineers can propose the correct vessel configuration and give you a realistic price.

Send us your process data and we\’ll respond with a technical specification and a quotation within two working days.