For a specific reaction process, the selection of reactor needs to consider various factors such as technology, economy and safety.
The basic characteristics of the reaction process determine the appropriate reactor form. For example, gas-solid phase reactions are generally carried out with fixed-bed reactors, fluidized bed reactors, or moving-bed reactors. However, the appropriate selection needs to consider various factors such as the thermal effect of the reaction, the requirements for the conversion rate and selection rate of the reaction, the physical and chemical properties and deactivation of the catalyst, and even the conceptual design of different reactors needs to be made, and the technical and economic analysis can be determined.
In addition to the form of the reactor, the operation mode of the reactor and the feeding method also need to be considered. For example, for processes with tandem or parallel side reactions, a segmented feed may be preferable to a single feed. The temperature sequence is also an important factor in reactor selection. For example, for exothermic reversible reactions, a temperature sequence of high and then low should be used, and multi-stage, interstage recuperative reactors can make the temperature sequence of the reactor tend to be reasonable. Reactors play an important role in the production of the process industry. In terms of the construction investment and operating costs of the whole process, the proportion of the reactor is not necessarily very large. However, the quality of its performance and operation affects the yield and quality of pre- and post-processing and products, and also has an important impact on raw material consumption, energy consumption and product cost. Therefore, the research and development of reactors is of great significance for the development of various process industries.