Reactor packages

FIGURE 1. Typical multipurpose pilot plant reactor package. 

The Reactor package includes a large and constantly increasing library of organic chemical reactions that can be used directly without any further configuration. The list of available reactions of ChemAxon s reaction library is provided on their website [58]. Here, we are selecting the Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction mentioned in the previous section (Fig. 6.54). 

The mechanical details regarding the unloading and loading mechanisms will be described in a topical report ("Boiling Reactor Package Power Plant ) to be issued at a later date. 

The solvent and initiator are charged to the reactor and heated to reflux (ca 80°C). Forty percent of the monomer charge is then added. The remainder of the monomer is added in four equal increments at 24, 50, 79, and 110 min after addition of the initial monomer charge. The reaction mixture is kept at reflux overnight, then cooled and packaged (96). 

Sodium fluoride is normally manufactured by the reaction of hydrofluoric acid and soda ash (sodium carbonate), or caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). Control of pH is essential and proper agitation necessary to obtain the desired crystal size. The crystals are centrifuged, dried, sized, and packaged. Reactors are usually constmcted of carbon brick and lead-lined steel, with process lines of stainless, plastic or plastic-lined steel diaphragm, plug cock, or butterfly valves are preferred. 

The same reactants are used for manufacture as for sodium fluoride. An excess of acid is required to crystallize the bifluoride. The crystals are dewatered, dried, sized, and packaged. Cooling of the reaction is necessary to avoid over-heating and decomposition. Reactors and auxiUary equipment are the same as for sodium fluoride. 

Energy Use and Conservation. A variety of materials are needed for high performance thermal insulation, particularly as components of nuclear reactors. Replacements for asbestos fibers are needed for components such as reactor core flooring, plumbing, and packaging. The fibers must be very resistant to high temperatures with outstanding dimensional stabiHty and resistance to compression. 

The reactor charge is heated to 140°C under a nitrogen atmosphere and the monomer charge and initiator charge are added uniformly over three hours while maintaining 140 2°C. After the additions are complete, this temperature is maintained for two more hours, then the product is cooled and packaged. A clear, viscous solution of about 58% polymer is obtained (63). 

Package Power Reactors. Several small, compact power reactor plants were developed dufing the period 1957—1962 by the U.S. Army for use ia remote locations. Designed by Alco Products, Inc., the PWRs produced electrical power of about 1 MW along with space heat for military bases. 

Fusion Process. In the fusion process, also frequendy referred to as fusion cook, inert gas is continuously sparged from the bottom of the reactor to carry away water vapor from the reaction mixture. The exhaust is then either vented away or sent to a fume scmbber, which is frequendy a small vessel with water atomi2ing no22les. After the reaction is completed, the finished resin may be discharged, filtered, and packaged without solvent. More frequendy, it is cooled to a safe temperature, then dissolved in the desired type and amount of solvent in a thinning tank, filtered, and packaged, or pumped... 

Packages exist that use various discretizations in the spatial direction and an integration routine in the time variable. PDECOL uses B-sphnes for the spatial direction and various GEAR methods in time (Ref. 247). PDEPACK and DSS (Ref. 247) use finite differences in the spatial direction and GEARB in time (Ref. 66). REACOL (Ref. 106) uses orthogonal collocation in the radial direction and LSODE in the axial direction, while REACFD uses finite difference in the radial direction both codes are restricted to modeling chemical reactors. 

Tolling presents a special consideration that can make the training step easier. Typically a toller s technical staff, operators and mechanics are knowledgeable in the basic operations and tasks related to the toller s specialty. For example, experienced operators may know operations of the reactors, columns, exchangers, and packaging equipment quite well. The mechanical personnel may be very familiar with the required safe work practices, equipment cleaning procedures and maintenance tasks for standard vessels and piping. 

Size requirements are limited by packaging considerations for neutron irradiation. Typically, polyethylene or quartz containers are used to contain the sample in the reactor core. For example. Si wafers are cleaved into smaller pieces and dame sealed... 

Many applications of novolacs are found in the electronics industry. Examples include microchip module packaging, circuit board adhesives, and photoresists for microchip etching. These applications are very sensitive to trace metal contamination. Therefore the applicable novolacs have stringent metal-content specifications, often in the low ppb range. Low level restrictions may also be applied to free phenol, acid, moisture, and other monomers. There is often a strong interaction between the monomers and catalysts chosen and attainment of low metals levels. These requirements, in combination with the high temperature requirements mentioned above, often dictate special materials be used for reactor vessel construction. Whereas many resoles can be processed in mild steel reactors, novolacs require special alloys (e.g. Inconel ), titanium, or glass for contact surfaces. These materials are very expensive and most have associated maintenance problems as well. 

About two-thirds of the N2 produced industrially is supplied as a gas, mainly in pipes but also in cylinders under pressure. The remaining one-third is supplied as liquid N2 since this is also a very convenient source of the dry gas. The main use is as an inert atmosphere in the iron and steel industry and in many other metallurgical and chemical processes where the presence of air would involve fire or explosion hazards or unacceptable oxidation of products. Thus, it is extensively used as a purge in petrochemical reactors and other chemical equipment, as an inert diluent for chemicals, and in the float glass process to prevent oxidation of the molten tin (p. 370). It is also used as a blanketing gas in the electronics industry, in the packaging of processed foods and pharmaceuticals, and to pressurize electric cables, telephone wires, and inflatable rubber tyres, etc. 

Finally, the enriched uranium of converted back into UO,. The UO, is pressed into small fuel pellets and packaged in a metal tube (made of a zirconium alloy) for use in a nuclear reactor. 

To maximize the unit s profit, one must operate the unit simultaneously against as many constraints as possible. Examples of these constraints are limits on the air blower, the wet gas compresst>r. reactor/regenerator temperatures, slide valve differentials, etc. The conventional regulatory controllers work only one loop at a time and they do not talk to one another. A skilled operator can push the unit against more than one constraint at a time, but the constraints change often. To operate closer to multiple constraints, a number of refiners have installed an advanced process control (APC) package either within their DCS or in a host computer. 

Miscellaneous There are many interesting applications that arise from time to time that are outside the main stream of industry described above. Examples include desalination plant reactor cooling water circuits automobile body corrosion in situ) marine (vessels, piling, harbour installations) aircraft (in situ) packaging and cavitation monitoring. 

For food and pharmaceutical applications, the microbial count must be reduced to less than 10,000 viable cells per g exopolysaccharide. Treatment with propylene oxide gas has been used for reducing the number of viable cells in xanthan powders. The patented process involves propylene oxide treatment for 3 h in a tumbling reactor. There is an initial evacuation step before propylene oxide exposure. After treatment, evacuation and tumbling are alternated and if necessary the reactor is flushed with sterile nitrogen gas to reduce the residual propylene oxide level below the Food and Drug Administration permitted maximum (300 mg kg 1). The treated polysaccharide is then packaged aseptically. 

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