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In this work, a novel approach, based on the population balance equation (PBE), is presented and applied for the first time to the simulation of expanding polyurethane foams. The solution of the PBE allows to determine the evolution of the bubble size distribution (BSD) of the foam, which in turn defines the mechanical and thermal properties. The approach includes a kinetic model for the polymerization and blowing reactions, accounts for the presence of a physical blowing and for the total energy balance. Model predictions are compared with experiments from the literature for 12 different chemical recipes, highlighting acceptable agreement.

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