Issue
Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering,
Vol.15, No.3, 262-272, 1998
Particle Size Distribution in Olefin Continuous Stirred-Bed Polymerization Reactors
The control of polymer particle size and PSD is of industrial importance. Very fine particles pack poorly, thereby limiting reactor capacity, and present a dust explosion hazard. In olefin polymerization, a particle size distribution (PSD) in the polymerization reactor has been derived using population balances. Three reasonable reaction mechanisms for Ziegler-Natta catalysts, i.e., a simple reaction model, an active site reduction model, and a two sites model, have been used to derive the average number of active sites. It was observed that the PSD depends not only on residence time, but also on the reaction mechanism. It was also found that multiple active sites change the PSD slightly. The PSD, however, does not depend on initial catalyst volume.
[References]
  1. Blackley DC, "Theory of Kineticsof Compartmentalized Free-Radical Polymerization Reactions," in I. Piirma ed., Emulsion Polymerization, Academic Press, 1982
  2. Brockmeier NF, "Propylene Polymerization Kinetics in Gas Phase Reactors Using Titanium Trichloride Catalyst," in J.N. Henderson and T.C. Bouton, ed., Polymerization Reactors and Processes, ACS Symp. Ser., 104, 1979
  3. Garson IG, Angew. Makromol. Chem., 161, 145, 1988
  4. de Carvalho AB, Gloor PE, Hamielec AE, Polymer, 30, 280, 1989
  5. Chien JCW, "Recent Advances in Supported High Mileage Catalysts for Olefin Polymerization," in R.P. Quirk ed., Transition Metal Catalyzed Polymerization, Ziegler-Natta and Metathesis Polymerizations, Cambridge University Press, 55, 1989
  6. Chien JCW, Kuo KI, J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem., 23, 761, 1985
  7. Choi KY, Ray WH, Chem. Eng. Sci., 43(10), 2587, 1988
  8. Eirich F, Mark H, J. Colloid Sci., 11, 748, 1956
  9. Floyd S, Choi KY, Taylor TW, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 32, 2935, 1986
  10. Floyd S, Choi KY, Taylor TW, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 31, 2131, 1986
  11. Floyd S, Heiskanen T, Taylor TW, Mann GE, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 33, 1021, 1987
  12. Giannetti E, Macromolecules, 22, 2094, 1989
  13. Hutchinson RA, Chen CM, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 44, 1389, 1992
  14. Karol FJ, Catal. Rev.-Sci. Eng., 26(3-4), 557, 1984
  15. Kiparissides C, MacGregor JF, Hamielec AE, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 23, 401, 1979
  16. Kissin YV, "Isospecific Polymerization of Olefins with Heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta Catalysts," Springer-Verlag, New York, 1985
  17. Kissin YV, "Principles of Polymerizations with Ziegler-Natta Catalysts," in N.P. Cheremisinoff ed., Handbook of Polymer Science and Technology. Vol. 1: Synthesis and Properties, Marcel Dekker, 1989
  18. Kuo C, "Magnesium Chloride Supported High-Activity Catalyst for Olefin Polymerization," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1985
  19. McAuley KB, MacGregor JF, Hamielec AE, AIChE J., 36(6), 837, 1990
  20. Min KW, "The Modeling and Simulation of Emulsion Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, SUNY, Buffalo, 1976
  21. O'Toole JT, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 9, 1291, 1965
  22. Rawlings JB, "Simulation and Stability of Continuous Emulsion Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1985
  23. Rincon-Rubio LM, Wilen CE, Lindfors LE, Eur. Polym. J., 26(2), 171, 1990
  24. Saltman WH, J. Polym. Sci., 46, 375, 1960
  25. Schnaub A, Reichert KH, Macromol. Chem. Rapid Commun., 11, 315, 1990
  26. Soga K, Chen SI, Ohnishi R, Polymer, 10, 168, 1983
  27. Soga K, Sano T, Ohnishi R, Polym. Bull., 4, 157, 1981
  28. Stockmayer WH, J. Polym. Sci., 24, 314, 1957
  29. Tait PJT, "Monoalkene Polymerization: Ziegler-Natta and Transition Metal Catalysts," in G. Allen and J.C. Bevington ed., Comprehensive Polymer Science: The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions & Applications, of Polymers, Pergamon Press, 1989
  30. Tait PJT, Watkins ND, "Monoalkene Polymerization: Mechanisms," in G. Allen and J.C. Bevington ed., Comprehensive Polymer Science: The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions & Applications of Polymers, Pergamon Press, 1989
  31. Vesely K, Ambroz J, Vilim R, Hamrick O, J. Polym. Sci., 55, 25, 1961