Patent ID: 11898101
Assignee: KOPPERS DELAWARE, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for continuous production of mesophase pitch comprising:
a generally cylindrical reactor vessel having an outer vessel wall, a top end and a bottom end, said vessel having an upper temperature zone and a lower temperature zone;
a reactor head mounted on said top end of said vessel;
a cylindrical tube baffle centered and mounted along a central axis of said vessel and spaced inwardly from said outer vessel wall forming (i) an inside space within said cylindrical tube baffle, (ii) an outside space between said cylindrical tube baffle and said outer vessel wall and (iii) a circulation path through said inside space and said outside space;
an inlet for feeding isotropic pitch into the upper temperature zone;
an agitator for circulating fluid along said circulation path in said vessel through said inside space and said outside space;
a mesophase separator located between said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone;
a first heating element for heating said upper temperature zone;
a second heating element for heating said lower temperature zone; and
an outlet for providing mesophase pitch for further processing.