Process and device for clearing out reaction vessels blocked with tough, highly viscous materials

摘要

In the chemical industry it occasionally occurs that reaction vessels (2) are blocked with tough, highly viscous materials (7) as a result of production malfunctions. The removal of these materials with hammer chisel or with the aid of high-pressure water technology is extremely time consuming. To reduce this time, the material is made brittle over the wall of the reaction vessel and the free surface of the material by means of a low-boiling liquefied gas. Removal with hammer and chisel is then relatively simple. The embrittlement may be accelerated if bores (9) are introduced into the material, which are subjected to the liquefied gas. For this purpose a drill with coolant channels is used, to which a low-boiling liquefied gas, preferably nitrogen, can be fed via a low-temperature resistant annular sleeve (Fig. 1). <IMAGE>