Key points of reactor layout design

In the process of chemical production, especially in some fine chemical whole enterprises, there will be reaction kettles. The reaction kettle one of the key equipment and core equipment for chemical reactions, and its usage in the chemical reaction process is relatively large.

The reaction kettle is usually set in the workshop so the spatial position of the reaction kettle is often limited. This is mainly due to the fact that the chemical production workshop is usually a Class A workshop, and the area of A workshop is affected by the fire protection zoning, usually with a smaller area, so the space area where the reaction kettle is located is limited.

The setting and layout the reaction kettle are somewhat different from the layout of the device in the large chemical industry. Compared with the device in the large chemical industry, the reaction kettle occupies a area in the workshop. It is necessary to plan the position of each reaction kettle and equipment in the reaction process in detail. Therefore, how to layout the reaction kettle, to set it up, and some matters needing attention in setting it up are also an important work content for chemical engineers in chemical plants. The superiority or inferiority of the layout directly the convenience of operation, the efficiency of operation, and even affects the service life and safety of the device.

The reaction kettle has a series of ancillary facilities and when designing the position and layout of the reaction kettle, these ancillary facilities need to be considered. According to their use and function, the ancillary facilities are divided into parts:

1. Apparatus for heating and cooling. Usually, pipelines, valves, and instruments for heating and cooling of the reactor.

2. device of the reactor, usually stirring, motor and reducer.

3. Feeding device of the reactor. Mainly pipelines, valves, and instruments.

4 Discharge device of the reactor. Mainly pipelines, valves, and instruments.

5. Safety auxiliary facilities of the reactor. Safety valves, burst discs, and emergency cutoff, discharge devices, etc.

Consideration of the following main factors is required when setting the reactor.

1. The height of the layer where the reactor is located

Due to the presence of stirring, frames, redu, and motors, the reactor often has a high part above the vessel body. If the layer height where the reactor is located is insufficient, it may lead to the reactor being unable be installed within that layer.

The layer height not only needs to consider the situation during installation and normal operation but also needs to consider the situation during replacement and maintenance. For, when the stirring needs to be replaced, sufficient layer height is required to ensure that the stirring can be withdrawn from the reactor for replacement or maintenance.

2. The lifting or reserved position for the reactor

Since the reactor may need to be replaced or maintained, lifting operations are required. During the operation, fixed or temporary lifting facilities need to be up in the workshop to ensure that the reactor or accessories can be lifted out during maintenance and replacement. Typically, fixed lifting equipment or reserved temporary installation equipment installation points are used.

3. The operating height of the reactor

Usually, some reactors also require a series of operations such as opening and closing valves, feeding, and sampling, which need be performed at a certain height. In general, this operating height should conform to ergonomics, make the operation as convenient as possible, and use the most appropriate operating posture. Typically the height of the operating position is recommended to be 800mm. If the height of the operating position is too high and inconvenient to operate, an operating platform needs to established. This platform can be temporary or fixed.

4. Reactor spacing

Just like the height of the reactor, there should be a certain space between the reactor the reactor, and between the reactor and other surrounding equipment. On the one hand, this space facilitates personnel inspection and daily maintenance. On the other hand, it also facilitates the installation disassembly operations during later maintenance and replacement.

5、Reactor viewing and operating surface

The reactors should be arranged in a line as much as possible, and it should be ensured that the operations are maintained in the same direction. And there should be sufficient personnel walkway in this direction.

For example: the temperature, pressure and other field-display instruments of reactor should be oriented in the same direction, the instruments should be arranged as close as possible, and the positions that need to be operated (such as the feed port, sample port operating valve, etc.) should also be placed in the same operating direction, which is convenient for personnel patrol and operation.

In general, the personnel operation channel in front the reactor should be greater than 1.2 meters.

6、The support mode of the reactor

　　Usually, the reactor is supported on the beams by the lug seat, and the are usually steel beams, and some are concrete beams. However, for overweight equipment or equipment with large vibration amplitude, it is not suitable to use the lug seat to be directly fixed the beams.

　　On the one hand, the strength and stiffness of the beams needed to support overweight equipment are relatively high, which requires a high cost.

　　 the other hand, high-vibration equipment will produce strong vibrations during operation, which will be harmful to the building itself, so it is necessary to increase the strength and stiffness the building design, resulting in the increase of the construction cost.

　　Therefore, in these two cases, the reactor can be set up on the ground foundation in the form a support leg. The ground foundation can bear the heavy reactor, meet the requirements of the city, and also reduce the vibration and reduce the impact of the vibration on the overall device

　　7. Reactors of the same type and use should be arranged together as much as possible. Try to arrange them in a regular row, and the layout of the and pipelines between the reactors should be as same as possible.

8、The requirements for the net clearance below

　　If vehicles need to pass under the reactor, the net clearance height under the reactor should be as high as possible, usually it should be higher than the height of the forklift, and it is recommended to be three meters.

　　If people often pass below, the net clearance height for people to pass through needs to be considered, and it should be higher than 1.8 meters as much as possible.

　　If the frequency of people passing through is not high or there is no one passing through, the height can be reduced.

　　9、If gravity flow is used for feeding or discharging. The pressure height difference between the two devices should be sufficient, usually the height difference should not be less than one meter.

　　10、For those who adopt the method of gravity self-flow feeding or discharging, air pressure balance should be considered during design.

　　In general, a balance pipe is used or other methods are used to ensure air pressure balance between the two devices, so as to avoid the fluid from flowing smoothly due to the pressure difference between the two devices.

　　In addition to the above factors, the layout and design of the reactor need to consider many aspects, and we need to continuously accumulate methods and methods suitable for our own enterprises in the actual production process, form a complete set of complete data, play a role of drawing inferences about other cases from one instance, and thus facilitate the subsequent design. Jinchong Enterprise has more than 20 years of experience in the production, research and development, and engineering design and installation of reactors. For more details, please feel free to understand us!