Glass Reactor
Transparent Solutions for Perfect Process Monitoring
Innovative Glass Reactors for demanding chemical processes, versatile and easy to clean
De Dietrich designs and manufactures equipment and plants for the entire field of reaction and thermal separation process engineering. Drawing on years of experience, the company has built up comprehensive expertise in processing highly aggressive and pure media.
This knowledge is embodied directly in our glass reactors, benefiting the user in every application.
Our range includes proven, standardized equipment as well as solutions individually tailored to specific process requirements.
The images show the QVF® Universal Reactor in two configurations: 50 L and 6 L.
High operational reliability and exceptionally low maintenance requirements are key advantages of glass process systems from De Dietrich. Our flexible modular design concept — built from standardized components made of borosilicate glass 3.3 — allows both individual and standardized solutions.
Combined with other corrosion-resistant materials such as glass-lined steel, PTFE, PFA, and silicon carbide (SiC), our systems provide economical and reliable installations.
The proven QVF® SUPRA-Line flange system ensures additional safety, long-term reliability, and maintenance-free operation. Thanks to the modular design principle, installations can be easily adapted, expanded, modified, or dismantled whenever required. All components are designed for maximum flexibility and can be reused in future configurations.
Glass combines unique material properties that make it the ideal choice for demanding chemical and pharmaceutical processes:
- Universal corrosion resistance – withstands even aggressive chemicals and media
- Smooth, non-porous surface – reduces deposits, incrustations, and product residues
- Catalytic inertness – reactions proceed unaffected by the vessel material, ensuring reproducible results
- Physiologically and ecologically safe – 100% recyclable and sustainable
- High vacuum stability – reliable even under demanding process conditions
- Full transparency – enables direct visual process control
- Complete emptying – supports efficient operation, short cleaning cycles, and product changeovers
- Modular design – flexibly adaptable and easily expandable
Glass Reactors, the heart of a syntheses plant
A wide range of glass reaction vessels is available to meet different process requirements and heating concepts.
Jacketed glass vessel with capacities of up to 100l and spherical glass vessel with immersion heaters up to 500l can be heated and cooled using a thermal fluid system. In contrast, spherical glass vessel with capacities of up to 200l, equipped with an electric heating mantle, are designed for heating applications only.
Reliable process control depends on efficient mixing, reproducible heat transfer, and tight operation against the atmosphere. Since these requirements vary by process, De Dietrich offers a range of stirrer solutions and industrial stirrer drives, each tailored to the specific needs of the application.
Optimix® Baffle: Better Mixing, Easier Scale-Up
Optimix® is De Dietrich's baffle system, specifically designed for reactors, which significantly improves mixing performance through internally mounted baffles fixed directly to the vessel wall.
This innovative design enhances turbulence and mixing efficiency while keeping the reactor cover free for standard fittings and instrumentation.
The Optimix® Baffle System is available for all cylindrical glass reactors down to DN200.
Since the Optimix® system for glass reactors follows the same principle as for glass-lined reactors, scaling up from small pilot-scale glass reactors to large production reactors is significantly simplified.
Flexible Equipment Options and Modular Reactor Design
Depending on the specific application requirements, glass reactor systems can be equipped with a wide range of additional components, including feed and product receivers, distillation columns, condensers, and advanced measurement and control instrumentation.
Thanks to the use of standardized components, the equipment can be flexibly configured, adapted, and expanded to meet changing process requirements. The availability of stock components further ensures high availability, short delivery times.
Depending on the system size, the reaction systems are supplied as pre-assembled, modular units mounted on a supporting frame ready for direct connection to the required utilities or fully assembled and installed on-site at the customer’s facility.
Explosion Protection for Glass Plants
QVF® plants made from borosilicate glass 3.3 eliminate the risk of electrically, electrostatically, and mechanically generated sparks — fully compliant with ATEX directives and CENELEC code of practice. This allows the corrosion-resistant QVF® plants to be installed and operated safely in hazardous areas, in line with applicable operational safety regulations.
The QVF® SUPRA-Line from De Dietrich provides reliable safeguards against ignition sources caused by electrostatic charging:
Reliable and easy-to-install equipotential bonding across all stainless-steel flange connections
Patented, dissipative glass coating
Dissipative PTFE component, FDA-compliant
ATEX-certified devices and reliable manufacturer data confirming compliance with the applicable requirements of TRGS 727 and CLC/TR 60079-32-1
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