GB827749A - Reaction tank and thermo-regulator system - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0827749/III/1> <PICT:0827749/III/2> <PICT:0827749/III/3> An improved apparatus for carrying out a chemical reaction comprises a reactor (see Figs. 2 and 3), vertically disposed cooling coils in said reactor, an accumulator disposed above said reactor, inlet conduit means connecting said accumulator and said coils, outlet conduit means connecting said accumulator and said coils, a liquid level control valve connected to said accumulator for controlling the level of liquid therein, a source of liquid refrigerant connected to said accumulator through said liquid level control valve whereby a substantially constant level of liquid refrigerant will be maintained in said accumulator and such liquid will flow by gravity into said coils, said refrigerant returning to said accumulator through said outlet conduit means, a suction line connecting said accumulator with said refrigerant source and means operable in response to temperature changes in said reactor to control the temperature in said coils in accordance with the heat produced by the reaction process. The cooling system of the improved apparatus has a series of evaporators or cooling coils with relatively large heat transfer surface areas (Figs. 4 to 9) and of a character particularly appropriate for use in pressure type reactors into which the only access is the usual relatively small manhole. Heat transfer tubes are suspended within the several reactors with controls for the liquid refrigerant in the coils of each reactor operating in accordance with pressure or/and temperature <PICT:0827749/III/4> <PICT:0827749/III/5> <PICT:0827749/III/6> <PICT:0827749/III/7> <PICT:0827749/III/8> <PICT:0827749/III/9> conditions within the reactor, it having been determined that vertically disposed uniflow fluid coils supplied from a single header at the top as well as a single outlet header and with such cooling unit coils each composed of individual groups of parallel tubes, as for example, three in number, located so that a plane through these tubes is normal to the radius of the shell of the reactor are particularly suitable for this use. The cooling tubes in an upright staggered pattern permit maximum contact with the materials undergoing reaction and contribute to the efficient agitation of such materials by means of agitator elements disposed within the reactor and driven by an independent exteriorly mounted motor by means of a shaft extending through a stuffing-box in the top wall of the reactor.