New & Used Reactors For Sale

What is an industrial reactor?

An industrial reactor is a process vessel designed to host controlled chemical, biochemical or physical transformations. Reactors are the heart of chemical and pharmaceutical batch production, providing the controlled environment, temperature, pressure, mixing and reaction conditions needed to produce specification product. Industrial reactors are typically specified by working volume, design pressure, design temperature, materials of construction (carbon steel, 316L, Hastelloy, glass-lined, titanium, alloy), jacket type, agitator system and any additional features (baffles, dip tubes, lances, sight glasses, internal coils). Reactor selection depends heavily on the chemistry, with corrosion compatibility and temperature/pressure envelope being primary drivers.

How long do industrial reactors last?

Quality industrial reactors routinely operate for 30-50+ years. Glass-lined reactors may need glass repair or relining every 10-20 years on aggressive duty, but the steel substrate and pressure-containing structure typically last for the life of the asset. Stainless and alloy reactors often outlive multiple owners with appropriate maintenance, periodic PSSR inspection and seal renewal.

Why choose an industrial reactor?

Reactors are essential to virtually every chemical and pharmaceutical batch operation, providing the controlled environment where chemistry happens.

• Controlled chemistry environment: jacket heating/cooling, agitation, pressure rating and instrumentation provide the controlled conditions needed for selective, repeatable reactions.
• Material compatibility options: glass-lined, Hastelloy, titanium, duplex and 316L options support virtually every chemistry, from strong acids and halogens through to high-purity pharmaceutical synthesis.
• Pressure and temperature capability: reactors rated from atmospheric up to 100+ bar, operating from cryogenic up to 250°C+, handle the full range of industrial chemistry duties.
• Scalable batch production: well-specified reactor designs scale predictably from laboratory and pilot through to production, supporting product development and process scale-up.
• GMP and regulatory compliance: pharmaceutical reactors with documented qualification, validation and inspection records support GMP production for prescription medicines.

Why buy a used industrial reactor?

Industrial reactors are particularly strong candidates for second-hand purchase, given the long working life of the pressure-containing structure.

• Major capital savings: used reactors typically cost 40-70% less than new equivalents, with very significant savings on glass-lined and exotic alloy units.
• Immediate availability: new reactors can have lead times of 12-24 months, particularly for glass-lined and alloy units. Used stock can be available within weeks.
• Refurbishment options: glass-lined reactors can be re-glassed; stainless reactors can be repolished; jackets can be repaired or replaced. Refurbished reactors deliver effectively-new performance.
• Proven track record: reactors with documented batch history give clear evidence of duty cycles, chemistry compatibility and reliability.
• Strong UK aftermarket: Pfaudler, De Dietrich, GMM Pfaudler and specialist refurbishment firms support glass-lined reactor maintenance, modification and re-glassing.

Types of industrial reactors for sale

Glass-lined reactors

Glass-lined steel reactors handle the most demanding aggressive chemistries, including strong mineral acids, chlorinated organics, halogens and other reactive media. Pfaudler, De Dietrich and GMM Pfaudler are dominant manufacturers. Capacities range from sub-100L pilot reactors up to 40,000L production. Glass repair, electrical testing (spark testing) and periodic re-glassing are routine maintenance.

Stainless steel reactors

316L stainless reactors handle most pharmaceutical, food, biotech and benign chemical duties. Sanitary design with electropolished interior, GMP qualification and CIP/SIP capability is standard for pharma. 316Ti, 904L and other improved alloys serve specific corrosion duties.

Alloy and exotic material reactors

Hastelloy C-276/C-22, Inconel, Monel, titanium, zirconium, tantalum and duplex/super-duplex reactors serve very corrosive duties where 316L is inadequate. Common in fine chemical, pharmaceutical intermediate and specialty chemistry production.

High-pressure and specialty reactors

Hydrogenation reactors, autoclave-style high-pressure reactors and specialty designs support hydrogenation, polymerisation, supercritical processing and high-pressure chemistry. Working pressures up to 200+ bar with full PED/UKCA certification and PSSR-compliant inspection regimes.

Pilot and production-scale reactors

Lab and pilot reactors (typically 5-100L) support process development, scale-up studies and small-batch specialty production. Production reactors (typically 1,000-25,000L) handle commercial batch manufacture. Transfer between scales is well-supported by established reactor manufacturers.

Key features to consider when buying an industrial reactor

• Working volume: specify operating volume (typically 60-80% of total volume) rather than total volume. Reactors underfilled often perform poorly on heat transfer and mixing.
• Materials of construction: match material to chemistry. Glass-lined for strong acids; Hastelloy for chlorides at temperature; titanium for chlorinated solvents; 316L for benign duty; specialty alloys for specific corrosion.
• Design pressure and temperature: must envelope operating conditions plus reaction excursion margin. PED/UKCA, PSSR and ASME requirements apply.
• Jacket type and rating: full jacket for high heat transfer; half-pipe (limpet) coils for steam; dimpled for lower pressure. Match jacket to utility specification.
• Agitator and shaft seal: agitator design (anchor, retreat curve, hydrofoil) must match product viscosity. Mechanical seals need verification for chemistry, pressure and temperature.
• Internal hardware: baffles, dip tubes, internal coils and instrumentation lances all affect mixing performance. Verify configuration matches your process needs.
• ATEX rating: essential for solvents, flammable products and explosive atmospheres. Always confirm current certification.
• GMP qualification: pharmaceutical reactors need IQ/OQ documentation, qualified materials, traceability and validation records.

Industries and use cases for industrial reactors

• Pharmaceutical and biotech: API synthesis, intermediate manufacture, fermentation, downstream processing and sterile production.
• Specialty chemicals: agrochemicals, dyes, pigments, polymer intermediates, specialty surfactants and high-value chemicals.
• Petrochemical and refining: intermediate processing, hydrogenation, alkylation and polymer manufacture.
• Food and beverage: fermentation, formulation, ingredient processing and food chemistry.
• Personal care and cosmetics: high-value cosmetic chemistry, fragrance manufacture and specialty personal care production.
• Polymers and resins: polymerisation, polymer chemistry, resin synthesis and polymer additive manufacture.

What locations do we serve for industrial reactors?

As a buyer-to-seller marketplace, we feature industrial reactors from sellers across the UK and beyond. Use our location and distance filters to find equipment near your facility, supporting site visits and reducing transport costs on heavy reactor installations.

Can I return an industrial reactor?

As we operate as a buyer-to-seller marketplace, any returns policy must be agreed directly with the seller before purchase. Reactor purchases deserve careful pre-purchase due diligence, including pressure test certificate review, PSSR inspection records, internal surface condition assessment and (for glass-lined units) spark testing of the glass.

Browse other industrial machinery categories

This category forms one part of our wider industrial machinery marketplace. Browse the full range of New and Used Industrial Machinery, or jump into a specific sub-category below:

• New and Used Industrial Autoclaves
• New and Used Industrial Automatic Lines
• New and Used Industrial Belt Coolers
• New and Used Industrial Blowers
• New and Used Industrial Breakers
• New and Used Industrial Capping Machinery
• New and Used Industrial Centrifuges
• New and Used Industrial Coating Pans
• New and Used Industrial Columns
• New and Used Industrial Compactors
• New and Used Industrial Conveying Systems
• New and Used Industrial De-aerators
• New and Used Industrial Dosing Units
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• New and Used Industrial Kneaders
• New and Used Industrial Mills
• New and Used Industrial Mixers
• New and Used Industrial Packaging Machines
• New and Used Industrial Plastic Machinery
• New and Used Industrial Presses
• New and Used Industrial Processing Vessels
• New and Used Industrial Pumps
• New and Used Industrial Rotary Valves
• New and Used Industrial Sieves
• New and Used Industrial Stirring Vessels
• New and Used Industrial Storage Tankers
• New and Used Other Industrial Machinery