DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF INDUSTRIAL POLY(VINYL CHLORIDE) BATCH SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION REACTORS

In the present study a comprehensive mathematical model is developed t o simulate the dynamic behavior of industrial poly(vinyl chloride) (PV C) batch suspension polymerization reactors. More specifically, the mo del predicts the monomer concentration in the gas, aqueous, and polyme r phases, the overall monomer conversion, the polymerization rate and polymer chain structural characteristics (e.g., number- and weight-ave rage molecular weights, long-chain branching, short-chain branching, a nd number of terminal double bonds), the reactor temperature and press ure, and the jacket inlet and outlet temperatures over the whole polym erization cycle. An experimental reactor is employed to verify the the oretical model predictions. It is shown that experimental results on t he time evolution of reactor temperature and pressure, the jacket inle t and outlet temperature, and the final conversion and molecular weigh t averages are in very good agreement with model predictions. The pred ictive capabilities of the model are also demonstrated through the sim ulation of experimental data recently reported in the literature. Fina lly some results on the optimization of the PVC production are present ed.