I have to thank "processchemist" at In the Pipeline's Amazonapalooza, for recommending "The Pilot Plant Real Book" by Francs McConville, which is a wonderful, wonderful read for a new chemist in the chemical process industry. It's chock full of useful tidbits and very detailed and clear graphics about how best to, for example, transfer a liquid into a reaction under an inert atmosphere. If you want to have an understanding of what a plant engineer is thinking about when they're thinking about the equipment you're using, this is a great place to start reading.
There are also amusing little tidbits of wisdom, for example, this one about cleaning your reactions using... spongeballs:
There are also amusing little tidbits of wisdom, for example, this one about cleaning your reactions using... spongeballs:
The use of sponge balls or scrubbing agents is also fairly common. They can provide a better cleaning actions than spray or mixing alone. However, it is important to ensure that the sponge balls will not disintegrate under your cleaning conditions. It's also a good idea to count the balls before putting them in to ensure that they all come out.
It is unknown whether or not "residual spongeball" is a specification in reactor cleaning protocols.
