How does the jacketed reactor work in a chemical process?

A jacketed reactor is the heart of many fine-chemical and pharmaceutical plants because it combines reaction space with precise thermal control. In operation, the process begins when reactants are charged into the inner vessel of the jacketed reactor. An agitator creates turbulence so that heat and mass transfer remain uniform throughout the batch. Next, a heat-transfer fluid—steam, hot oil, chilled water or glycol—is pumped through the annular jacket that surrounds the vessel wall. 

By adjusting the flow rate and inlet temperature of this fluid, operators can ramp, hold or quench the reaction inside the Zhengzhou Elab jacketed reactor with an accuracy of ±1 °C. Sensors in both the process and jacket circuits feed a distributed control system that continuously balances energy input against the heat released or absorbed by the chemistry. 

When the reaction is exothermic, for example, cold glycol is circulated to prevent runaway; when it is endothermic, steam is supplied to maintain the activation energy. Once the desired conversion is reached, the jacketed reactor can be cooled further to crystallize product or heated slightly to reduce viscosity before discharge. Throughout the entire campaign, the jacketed reactor acts simultaneously as a chemical reactor and as a heat exchanger, eliminating the need for external coils and simplifying scale-up from pilot to production.