Reactors, heat exchangers and centrifuges are essential pieces of chemical process plant equipment used to manufacture industrial and specialty chemicals.
Understanding the equipment behind every chemical manufacturing process
Chemical process plants rely on a wide range of engineered systems to transform raw materials into valuable products. From polymers and solvents to acids, fuels and additives, the manufacturing of chemicals involves reaction, separation, purification and storage—each powered by specialized equipment.
At International Process Plants (IPP), we help companies across the chemical industry source reliable, ready-to-ship equipment for continuous or batch processing. With over 47 years of experience and 15,000+ pieces of inventory, IPP is the world’s largest supplier of used process plant equipment—and one of the most trusted partners in the chemical sector.
Here’s what you need to know about chemical process plant equipment, including key system types and how they work together in real-world operations.
Reactors: The heart of any chemical process. Reactors control temperature, pressure and agitation to drive chemical reactions.
Heat exchangers: Used to transfer thermal energy between fluids. Shell-and-tube designs are the most common in industrial applications.
Centrifuges: Separate solids from liquids for purification or product recovery. Basket and peeler centrifuges are common choices.
Dryers: Remove moisture or solvents after reaction or washing. Includes rotary dryers, vacuum dryers, and thermal disc dryers.
Filters: Clarify liquids, recover solids, or prep products for the next stage. Pressure and vacuum filters are widely used.
Distillation columns: Separate chemical mixtures by boiling point. Often used in petrochemical, alcohol, and solvent refining.
Tanks: Provide storage or act as buffer vessels during transfer, mixing or holding stages.
Used process plant equipment offers major advantages in capital-intensive sectors like chemical manufacturing. Companies save time, reduce cost and gain flexibility without compromising on quality or safety.
IPP sources its inventory directly from decommissioned, idled or restructured facilities around the world. Many systems are gently used, well-maintained, and ready for redeployment. Our customers range from global chemical producers to toll manufacturers, engineering firms and startups building pilot plants.
We also offer specialty systems from Gale Process Solutions, our affiliate for new process equipment, and premium glass-lined equipment from UGE.
To read more …
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AIChE: Equipment selection for chemical process industries: Guidance on how to evaluate equipment choices in CPI settings.
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Chemical Engineering on IPP’s global leadership: Feature covering IPP’s rise as the world’s largest seller of used process plants and equipment.
What is chemical process plant equipment?
It includes the mechanical systems used in chemical production—such as reactors, heat exchangers, dryers, filters and tanks—that enable raw materials to be transformed into usable products.
Can used chemical equipment be reliable?
Yes. When sourced from a trusted partner like IPP, used equipment is inspected, documented and often comes from high-quality decommissioned plants.
What industries use this equipment?
Chemical process equipment is used in petrochemical, polymer, fertilizer, solvents, surfactants, adhesives, industrial gases and specialty chemical sectors.
Does IPP sell full chemical plants?
Yes. We also offer complete process plant systems including site-wide teardown, relocation and recommissioning services.
More FAQs
Used chemical process plant equipment offers a fast and capital-efficient way to expand manufacturing capacity or replace legacy systems.
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