Batch reactor

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A batch reactor is a chemical reactor in which a non-continuous reaction is conducted, i.e., one where the reactants, products and solvent do not flow in or out of the vessel during the reaction until the target reaction conversion is achieved. By extension, the expression is somehow inappropriately used for other batch fluid processing operations that do not involve a chemical reaction, such as solids dissolution, product mixing, batch distillation, crystallization, and liquid/liquid extraction. In such cases, however, they may not be referred to as reactors but rather with a term specific to the function they perform (such as crystallizer, bioreactor, etc.).^[1]

Many batch processes are designed on the basis of a scale-up from the laboratory, particularly for the manufacture of specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals. If this is the case, the process development will produce a recipe for the manufacturing process, which has many similarities to a recipe used in cookery.^[2] A typical batch reactor consists of a pressure vessel with an agitator and integral heating/cooling system. The vessels may vary in size from less than 1 L to more than 15,000 L. They are usually fabricated in steel, stainless steel, glass-lined steel, glass or exotic alloys. Liquids and solids are usually charged via connections in the top cover of the reactor. Vapors and gases also discharge through connections in the top. Liquids are usually discharged out of the bottom.

The advantages of the batch reactor lie with its versatility. A single vessel can carry out a sequence of different operations without the need to break containment. This is particularly useful when processing toxic or highly potent compounds.