Modeling and simulation of propylene polymerization in nonideal loop reactors

Abstract

A dynamic mathematical model for liquid-phase polymerization in loop reactors was de®eloped and implemented in language C using S-functions in a MATLABrSIMU

Modeling and simulation of an industrial slurry-phase catalytic olefin polymerization reactor series

“…Nowadays, continuous slurry-phase polymerization, in the presence of a heterogeneous Z-N catalyst, is one of the most commonly employed processes in the production of polyolefins, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), isotactic polypropylene (IPP) as well as their copolymers with higher olefins (Fontes and Mendes, 2005). Presently, 35% of the total polypropylene and 57% of the total polyethylene volume are produced via the slurryphase technology (Reginato et al, 2003).…”

“…The model was capable of simulating the transient operation of the polymerization plant, and, thus, it was possible to calculate the optimal operating conditions to increase the polyolefin production rate. Reginato et al (2003) simulated the operation of a loop reactor by assuming a non-ideal CSTR behaviour. In their work, they introduced a constant discharge parameter accounting for the difference in the concentrations of polymer solids in the reactor and the product withdrawal stream.…”

Phase behavior analysis for industrial polymerization reactors

“…36 The set of polymerization reactions takes place in a CSTR and the process is highly exothermic. Based on the reaction mechanism for propylene polymerization, 37 the assumptions to develop the mathematical model were (1) the contents of the reactor are perfectly mixed, (2) constant density and heat capacity of the reaction mixture, (3) the polymerization rate is equal to the propagation rate, and (4) constant reactor volume.…”

Modeling and Simulation of Liquid Phase Propylene Polymerizations in Industrial Loop Reactors

“…The control of the morphology of the polymer particles is basically performed in this step. [5] Pre-polymerization is used to produce spherical polymer particles in an early reaction stage, avoiding uncontrolled particle fragmentation in the large scale reactors. Figure 8 and 9 present MFI and hydrogen concentration profiles, respectively, for the train of loop reactor composed by a baby-loop, whose total length is 1/58 of that of the other two full-scale loop reactors (although retaining the same length/diameter ratio).…”

“…[3] Zacca and Ray [4] were the first to propose a distributed dynamic model to describe the polymerization of propylene in this process but, as in previous works, validation with industrial data was not presented. Recently, Reginato, Zacca and Secchi [5] used a nonideal continuous stirred tank model to describe this process and compared their simulation results with actual plant data. Production rates, slurry densities and melt flow indexes were used to validate the model developed.…”