Used Stainless Steel Reactors – Large Inventory for Sale

Definition of a reactor vessel

A reactor is a stainless steel vessel specially designed to carry out chemical or physical reactions – the transformation of one set of substances into another. Reactor vessels therefore feature specific technical design elements that distinguish them from conventional storage tanks:

• Double jacket for heating / cooling: allows precise control of the process temperature inside the reactor
• Working pressure: depending on the process, overpressure or vacuum may occur inside the vessel
• Agitation: many reactions arise from the mixing of raw materials, which are homogenized through mechanical agitation

Which reactor vessel types exist?

The process design of a reactor is primarily determined by the characteristics of the substances to be processed and the required reaction parameters. The following basic reactor types can be distinguished:

• Chemical reactor: typically designed for processing polymers or resins. These vessels feature a powerful agitator for high-viscosity media, thick walls, dished bottoms, half-pipe coils for heating or cooling, and are usually installed on strong legs or brackets.
• Pharmaceutical reactor: developed for sterile production of active ingredients or intermediates, often mobile on castors, with high-quality materials, polished weld seams, low surface roughness and comprehensive technical documentation.
• Bioreactor / fermenter: designed for the cultivation of microorganisms or cells in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, with the highest requirements for sterility and cleanliness.

Due to the frequently high process temperatures and demanding operational conditions, stainless steel reactors are commonly manufactured from corrosion-resistant grades such as AISI 316 / 316L or AISI 316Ti. Non-product-contact parts such as legs, jackets or insulation covers are often produced from AISI 304. For particularly aggressive or sensitive media, titanium, Hastelloy or glass-lined (enameled) reactor vessels are also available.

Which mixing technology can be used in a reactor vessel?

The mixing system is the core of every reactor and plays a decisive role in product quality and process efficiency. Typical tasks include homogenizing, suspending, dispersing, emulsifying and degassing, depending on the viscosity and reaction behavior of the medium. The following agitator types are commonly used:

• Propeller stirrer: suitable for the simple homogenization of low-viscosity, aqueous media such as solvents – either as a direct-drive high-speed mixer or as a geared agitator for gentle mixing
• Anchor agitator / frame stirrer: slow-speed agitator for highly viscous substances such as adhesives, resins or silicones
• Blade stirrer: geared agitator with flat blades for gentle homogenization of low- to medium-viscosity products such as paints, coatings or shampoo
• Pitched-blade impeller: four-blade impeller mounted at a 45° angle, ideal for homogenizing, dispersing, suspending and degassing with higher energy input
• Dissolver: toothed disc impeller generating high shear forces – suitable for dispersion, emulsification or wet milling (e.g. printing inks, pigment pastes or plasters)
• Cup stirrer: cone-shaped agitator running at low speed, used for gentle homogenization and degassing of aqueous to viscous products without shear forces (e.g. soap, oils, lotions, shampoo)
• Jetstream mixer: fast-running rotor-stator system for intensive mixing without air entry or sedimentation
• Magnetic stirrer: installed at the bottom of the vessel, designed for aseptic applications and small batch volumes (e.g. eye drops, active ingredients, laboratory processes)

Benefits of second-hand reactor vessels

Used reactor vessels are immediately available from stock and can be shipped worldwide. With our large inventory of high-quality stainless steel reactors from the chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, we can offer suitable and ready-to-ship solutions for almost every application and configuration. In contrast, custom-made new reactors often require lead times of up to 12 months due to complex manufacturing steps and supplier dependencies.

The investment required for a used reactor is significantly lower than for a comparable new vessel – especially when high temperatures (up to 300 °C), pressure levels above 6 bar or complex agitation systems are needed, such as coaxial agitators or wall-scraping anchor stirrers. Many used reactors are already equipped with integrated measurement and control systems or mounted on load cells, which would otherwise represent a costly upgrade in a new system.

Since our used reactors are almost exclusively sourced from the German-speaking region, they typically originate from well-known manufacturers such as Hagemann, Diessel, Seitz or Waldner. This ensures long service life, precise workmanship and excellent material quality.

Brand-new custom-made reactor vessels

With over 60 years of experience in stainless steel vessel and plant construction, Behälter KG is your reliable partner for custom-built reactor solutions. We are happy to provide a tailored quotation for your specific requirements – please contact us by phone or via our contact form.

Our manufacturing range covers everything from compact pilot-scale reactors to large industrial chemical reactors, available with customized agitation technology (including ATEX options). We look forward to your inquiry and will be happy to advise you personally.