What Are Continuous Hybrid Reactors, and How Do They Work?

There are many approaches to manufacturing, ranging from repetitive to discrete processing. One of the most common methods is continuous processing, where production continues without stopping and creates the same products repeatedly. This option has many advantages, including greater control and efficiency. Depending on the application, manufacturers can use different continuous reactors to facilitate the process.

While various industries can benefit from continuous processing alone, incorporating other methods can be beneficial. A continuous hybrid reactor (CHR) offers the best of both options in one machine. Learn more about continuous processing versus batch processing, what CHRs are, and how different industries can apply them in our guide.

Understanding Continuous Processing

In continuous processing, production is ongoing and begins with raw materials. Once the materials are fed into the system, they go through the manufacturing process without breaks, emerging at the end as final products. This approach differs from batch processing, where the production run is broken down into stages using a containerized batch mixer. Every stage must be completed before the batch can move on to the next.

The main advantage of continuous manufacturing is that it supports high-volume production. This process relies on a continuous processor system, which comprises highly automated equipment that creates greater consistency and efficiency.

For example, in the food industry, continuous processing improves quality control, food safety, and flexibility — the process is constantly being monitored to identify issues and ensure accuracy.

One type of continuous processor is a continuous reactor. This equipment is specifically designed for carrying out chemical reactions in a continuous flow, facilitating chemical transformation. Some examples of  reactors include:

• Continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR): CSTRs are often used for liquid-phase reactions. A CSTR mixes the reactor’s contents perfectly, resulting in a uniform composition throughout the vessel. As reactants are continuously fed into the reactor, products are withdrawn, and the effluent stream is removed.
• Microreactor: Often used for fast reactions, high-throughput screening, and reactions involving hazardous materials, microreactors have very small channel dimensions. This small size creates a high surface area-to-volume ratio. As a result, the continuous processor has effective heat transfer and precise control over reaction conditions.
• Plug flow reactor (PFR): These reactors generally offer higher conversion rates than CSTRs for the same reactor volume. In a PFR, the fluid flows through a cylindrical tube or channel in a “plug” or “slug” flow pattern, with minimal axial mixing. The fluid’s composition changes as it flows.

Today’s continuous reactor systems feature static mixers, dynamic mixers, ultrasonic mixing, and similar components to improve mixing efficiency and mass transfer. For example, in biodiesel production, novel reactors are being designed to enhance mixing rates with a multifunctional process intensifier. These continuous reactor innovations are helping companies benefit even more from continuous processing.

What Is a Continuous Hybrid Reactor?

A CHR combines the features of both a batch reactor and a continuous reactor. It uses a deep vacuum to facilitate chemical reactions, giving a high level of control over residence time, heat transfer rate, and other reaction conditions. Depending on the use case, a CHR can facilitate a chemical reaction, evaporation, devolitolization, degassing, drying, and other processes to create powder, flake, paste, or slurry in a single step.

This type of self-contained processor has twin, co-rotating, hollow paddle shafts set in a closed, jacketed barrel. It generally has the following interior and exterior components:

• Interior: Primary vacuum ports, secondary vacuum ports, an area under vacuum, a process area, and a product discharge area
• Exterior: Vacuum ports, a material feed inlet, multiple liquid injection locations, vacuum/vapor removal, cored shafts, a jacket heating and cooling medium, and a product discharge area

As processing begins, the primary reactants are continuously inserted through the feed and injection ports. Once they’re inside the barrel, the chemical reaction begins, and mixing and heat enhance the process.

Then, the vacuums remove byproducts, and the final product is discharged. The process happens continuously as the reaction takes place.

Continuous hybrid reactor benefits include enhanced control, improved yield, and greater flexibility compared to traditional batch reactors. This machinery excels at deep vacuum, heat transfer, mixing, reactions, and waste reduction.

Applications of Continuous Hybrid Reactors

Manufacturers in many industries use CHRs in their process development laboratories, and production lines. This device’s main applications include processing high-viscosity, temperature or oxygen sensitive materials, such as sealants.

See how an advanced continuous hybrid reactor can be applied in various industries:

Pharmaceuticals

When synthesizing active pharmaceutical ingredients and their intermediates, companies require controlled environments for product quality and consistency. CHRs excel at providing precise control over reaction conditions. As a result, variability is minimized between batches. Additionally, a CHR’s smaller reaction volume can improve safety, especially when dealing with highly reactive or unstable processes.

Chemicals

Those working with high-viscosity chemicals know they can be difficult to handle. A CHR makes that easier by processing “sticky” chemicals, even in a deep vacuum environment. Examples include polyester, acrylic resins, polyamide resins, and vinyl acetate resins. CHRs also provide high levels of consistency across batches and reduce the creation of unwanted by-products.

Food and Beverage

This industry requires high levels of quality control and flexibility. CHRs are ideal for fermentation, drying, and dehydration, providing control over reactions and temperature. Compared to batch processing, CHRs can provide food and beverage businesses with greater efficiency.

Other Industries

Many other industries can use CHRs to achieve better quality control and flexibility. For example, CHRs could be used in the wastewater treatment process by continuously cultivating microbial cultures to break down pollutants. CHRs can also produce consistent mixtures, which is ideal for creating engineered fuels and composites.

The Continuous Hybrid Reactor From Readco Kurimoto

Readco Kurimoto’s continuous hybrid reactor is built to deliver safe, efficient, and repeatable chemical reactions to suit your processing needs. Through high vacuum capability, high-temperature-rated construction, and other elements, our proprietary design can help you transform raw materials using the best aspects of both continuous and batch processing.

Based on your use case, you can make continuous hybrid reactor upgrades to suit your specifications. For example, the paddle can be sized and changed as needed to support various industrial applications, which makes scaling your operations easier. The CHR’s internal volume can also be built up to 978.6 cubic feet. Whether you are in need of drying or degassing capabilities, or something in between, our CHR is built for the task.

Learn more about our CHR and other processor and mixer products.

Why Choose Readco Kurimoto?

At Readco Kurimoto, we have decades of experience helping companies improve their products with advanced continuous mixing machines. With extensive knowledge in process development testing, we have partnered with numerous small and large companies across industries, such as food, chemical, specialty materials, and building.

If you are searching for high-quality, reliable continuous processing equipment, our team is here to assist. Contact us today to get started or discover more about the latest continuous hybrid reactor technology.