Reaction vessel for liquid phase catalytic pyrolysis of polymers

A reactor vessel for liquid phase catalytic pyrolysis of plastics in a slurry of plastic particles, solvent oil, and a catalyst, the reactor vessel comprising:

• a cylindrical reactor barrel having a barrel diameter and a barrel length;
• an inlet for introducing the slurry into the reactor barrel for treatment;
• a heat exchange shell surrounding the reactor barrel, the heat exchange shell connected to a heat exchange circuit and configured to flow a heat exchange fluid over an outer surface of the reactor barrel;
• a reactor top plate disposed at a top of the reactor barrel;
• a reactor bottom plate disposed at a bottom of the reactor barrel;
• a central shaft supported concentrically and rotatably within the reactor barrel;
• at least one arm set extending radially from the central shaft, each arm of the at least one arm set having a distal end;
• a shear plate supported perpendicularly on the distal end of each arm, the shear plate having a plate surface with a plate area, the plate surface extending parallel to each of the central shaft and an inner wall of the reactor barrel to define a shear gap between the plate surface and the inner wall of approximately 2 mm to 3 mm, wherein, when the central shaft is rotated within the reactor barrel, the shear gap is dimensioned to induce viscous drag at a predetermined strain rate within the slurry between the plate surface and the inner wall via Couette flow;
• a drive motor supported by the reactor top plate and configured for driving rotation of the central shaft;
• and
• at least one outlet for removing pyrolysis products from the reactor barrel.