The two main categories for mechanical failures are impact and stress.

Impact

Internal impact - Internal impact occurs when something hard hits the interior lining surface. When you are working in a reactor, it is important to pad the floor and mixer before entering the vessel to prevent an accidental internal impact to cracking the glass lined surface from a loose item or tool that is dropped. 

External impact - While glass is quite strong in compression, it is weak in tension so a direct blow to the exterior of the vessel can cause a “spall” or star-shaped crack pattern to the interior glass lining. Avoiding a sudden external force to the glass lined reactor is an easy way to prevent this type of damage from occurring.

Hydro blasting - Installing a wash-in-place system via spray balls and other type of pressure equipment is an effective way to keep your vessel clean. However, if the high-pressure cleaning exceeds 137 bar (2000 psi) or if the water jet is less than 30cm (12 inches) from the vessel wall, damage can occur (there are situations where greater allowances are acceptable, but this is a general best practice). Additionally, abrasive particles mixed with the water can contribute to hydro blast damage as can water sprayed on a specific area for a prolonged period of time and direct contact to repairs such as patches or plugs. 

Abrasion - When particles that are harder than the glass surface contact it, abrasion can occur. This often happens at the edges of nozzles, baffles and agitators due to vigorous mixing.

Cavitation - Caused by condensation, pressure decrease, and chemical reaction, cavitation is the damage that occurs when bubbles collapse at the glass surface. Incorporating Nitrogen into your process can help to subside bubble collapse and using a sparger is also a way to combat cavitation.

Stress

Crushing - Despite its compressive strength, improper flange makeup and uneven or over-torquing can crush glass. In addition to carefully selecting your gaskets and following proper flange assembly techniques, calibrated torque wrenches must be used to avoid excessive stresses. 

Bending - When piping systems are not adequately installed and supported, the connection to the vessel is subject to excessive tensile and compressive forces which can lead to bending damage. Bending damage is evident from the cracks that appear at the bending axis.  

Vibration - When baffles, dip pipes and other accessories that are installed via nozzles are not sized and positioned properly, it can result in vibrations that can cause glass damage so widespread that the only solution is re-coating glass. This can be prevented, however, by properly aligning your agitator and other internal components as well as being conscious of water hammer and using the right sparger device for steam injection.