Reactors for hydrogenation of edible oils

Due to the characteristics of the hydrogenation of edible oil, by far the most common type of reactor has been the batch‐type shurry hardener. Although continuous reactors offer several advantages compared to batch reactors, they are seldom used in the industry. This review paper describes the most commonly used full‐scale reactors, both batch and continuous. Several different laboratory reactors are also described. The experimental results obtained from those reactors indicate that it is possible to achieve selectivites and reaction rates in a continuous reactor as high as in a slurry batch reactor.