Technology Type

The Loop Reactor consists of a long pipe equipped with a cooling water jacket and arranged into a closed loop, in which the Slurry is pumped around at a high velocity (6 - 10 m/s) with an inline axial pump. The Loop Reactor was originally developed to avoid deposits which had proven troublesome in the Stirred Tank Reactor. The Reactor has a high surface to volume ratio, which facilitates heat transfer and permits short residence times. The Loop Reactor usually consists of four or six vertical pipes with a height of up to 50 meters. Some producers have chosen to arrange the loop pipe in a horizontal position.

Source: European Commission, European IPPC Bureau, Aug 2007, Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Production of Polymers.