Reaction Vessel for Liquid Phase Catalytic Pyrolysis of Polymers

A reactor vessel for liquid phase processing of plastics, comprising:

• a cylindrical reactor barrel having a barrel diameter and a barrel length;
• 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 having a distal end configured to support a shear plate extending parallel to the central shaft at a spacing from an inner wall of the reactor barrel, the spacing configured to generate a predetermined strain rate between the shear plate 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;
• an inlet for introducing fluid into the reactor barrel for treatment;
• and
• at least one outlet for removing processing products from the reactor barrel.