MATHEMATICAL-MODEL AND ANALYSIS OF PMMA SOLUTION PROCESSES

A mathematical model of reactors for the polymerization of methylmetha crylate (MMA) has been developed and analyzed in order to better under stand the reactor dynamics and to determine conditions for improved op eration. The exploration of the effect of heat transfer in an MMA poly merization reactor system has been conducted by the development of a d etailed model. Two correlations for the overall heat transfer coeffici ent have been used to study the effect of heat transfer. The heat tran sfer coefficient estimated by an empirical correlation (Kravaris) is o nly a function of conversion. Due to its simplicity, it may not expres s very well the true heat transfer phenomena. But in Henderson's corre lation, it is related to the viscosity of the reaction mixture, which in turn depends on the reaction temperature and volume fraction of eac h species in the reactor. The steady state solutions of mass and energ y balances in the reactor depend on the nature of the heat transfer co rrelation, as does the number of isola branches. Henderson's correlati on may be preferred to calculate the dynamics of the PMMA reactors. Th e addition of jacket dynamics to the system results in no isola soluti on branches and no Hopf bifurcations.