Deterministic Approaches for Simulation of Nitroxide-Mediated Radical Polymerization

Since its development in the last decades, controlled radical polymerization (CRP) has become a very promising option for the synthesis of polymers with controlled structure. The design and production of tailor-made materials can be significantly improved by developing models capable of predicting the polymer properties from the operating conditions. Nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) was the first of the t hree main variants of CRP to be discovered. Although it has lost preference over the years against other CRP alternatives, NMP is still an attractive synthesis method because of its simple experimental implementation and environmental friendliness. This review focuses on deterministic methods employed in mathematical models of NMP. It presents an overview of the different techniques that have been reported for modelling NMP processes in homogeneous and heterogeneous media, covering from the prediction of average properties to the latest techniques for modelling univariate and multivariate distributions of polymer properties. Finally, an outlook of model-based design studies of NMP processes is given.Fil: Asteasuain, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Modelagem, simulação e analise de desempenho de reatores tubulares de polimerização com deflectores angulares internos

Orientadores: Rubens Maciel Filho, Liliane Maria Ferrareso LonaTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia QuimicaResumo: O modelo determinístico e processo homopolimerização na emulsão do estireno são aplicados em reator tubular contínuo sem e com deflectores angulares internos sob condição isotérmica e não isotérmica. Os resultados de modelagem e simulação foram realizados a estado estacionário, modelo unidimensional, coordenada cilíndrica, fluxo pistão laminar completamente desenvolvido, modelo Smith-Ewart para estimar a conversão do monômero, cinética química de Arrhenius corno modelo de velocidade finita laminar para computar a geração química. O objetivo é modelar, simular e analisar o comportamento do reator de homopolimerização na emulsão do estireno com deflectores angulares inclinados internos, e comparar com reator tubular. Os métodos experimental e matemático-dedutivo foram aplicados para obter resultados, por meio de programação computacional, usando Dinâmica de Fluido Computacional através do método de volumes finitos. As seguintes variáveis como temperatura de reação constante e variável, reator tubular sem e com deflectores, temperatura de alimentação, diâmetro de reator, processo adiabático e exotérmico, calor de reação constante e velocidade axial completamente desenvolvida foram investigados. Os efeitos de conversão de monômero, área transversal interna, temperatura axial, concentração do polímero, radicais e iniciador, outros corno densidade de polímero e monômero, perda de carga e queda de pressão foram determinados e simulados. Os produtos foram caracterizados com Número de Partículas (nucleação homogênea e heterogênea), distribuição de peso molecular, tamanho de partículas de polímero e distribuição de viscosidade. Estes resultados foram validados com resultados da literatura sob condição igualou aproximada. Os resultados sob condições não isotérmicas foram melhores que os resultados isotérmicos em termos de caracterização do polímero. Isso mostra que o desenho alternativo proposto (com deflectores) permite obter o polímero com propriedades melhores em termos de número de partículas, distribuição de peso molecular, distribuição do tamanho de partículas e viscosidadeAbstract: Deterministic model and emulsion homopolymerization process of styrene are applied in continuous tubular reactor without and with internal angular baffles under isothermic and no isothermic conditions. The modeling and simulation results were approximate to steady state, one-dimensional model, cylindrical coordinate, fully developed laminar plug flow, Smith-Ewart model to estimate the monomer conversion, Arrhenius chemical kinetics as laminar finite-rate model to compute chemical source. The objective is to model, simulate and to analyze the emulsion homopolymerization reactor performance of styrene with internal-inc1ined angular baffles, and to compare with continuous tubular reactor. The experimental and mathematical-deductive methods were applied to obtain results, by means of computational programming, using Computational Fluid Dynamics (program code), finite volume method. The following variables such as constant and variable reaction temperature, tubular reactor without and with baffles, feed temperature, reactor diameter, adiabatic and exothermic process, constant reaction heat and fully developed axial velocity were investigated. The monomer conversion, internal transversal are a, axial temperature, concentration of polymer, radicals and initiator, others as density of polymer and monomer, head loss and pressure drop effects were determined and simulated. The products were characterized by partic1es number (homogeneous and heterogeneous nuc1eation), molecular weight distribution, polymer partic1es size and polymer viscosity distribution. These results were validated with literature results under same or approximate condition. The results under no isothermic conditions were better than isothermic results in terms of polymer characterization. It is shown that the proposed alternative design (with baffles) allow to obtain the polymer with better properties in terms of number of partic1es, molecular weight distribution, particle size distribution and viscosityDoutoradoDesenvolvimento de Processos QuímicosMestre em Engenharia Químic

Simulation, Optimization & Control of Styrene Bulk Polymerization in a Tubular Reactor

ABSTRACT: In this paper, optimization and control of a tubular reactor for thermal bulk postpolymerization of styrene have been investigated. By using the reactor mathematical model, static and dynamic simulations are carried out. Based on an objective function including polymer conversion and polydispersity, reactor optimal temperature profile has been obtained. In the absence of model mismatch, desired product characteristic can also be obtained by applying the corresponding reactor wall or jacket temperature profile. To achieve this temperature trajectory, reactor jacket is divided into three zones and jacket inlet temperatures are used as manipulated variables. Effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated through computer simulation. Furthermore for a special case of model mismatch, a method has been proposed which results in a near optimal profile

Heat exchanger/reactors (HEX reactors): Concepts, technologies: State-of-the-art

Process intensification is a chemical engineering field which has truly emerged in the past few years and is currently rapidly growing. It consists in looking for safer operating conditions, lower waste in terms of costs and energy and higher productivity; and away to reach such objectives is to develop multifunctional devices such as heat exchanger/reactors for instance. This review is focused on the latter and makes a point on heat exchanger/reactors. After a brief presentation of requirements due to transposition from batch to continuous apparatuses, heat exchangers/reactors at industrial or pilot scales and their applications are described