Development of a Multi-scale Dynamic Model for the Prediction of Polymer Distributed Properties in Catalytic Olefin Polymerization Slurry Loop Reactors
Multi-scale and/or multi-disciplinary approach to process-product innovation
Multiscale Modeling (T3-5)
Keywords: Loop Reactor, Olefin Polymerization, Ziegler Natta, Modelling, Distributed Properties
The continuous slurry loop catalytic olefin polymerization reactor is one of the most commonly employed processes in the production of polyolefins due to its simple construction, operation as well as its well defined mixing conditions. Polyolefins produced in such a process include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), isotactic polypropylene (IPP) as well as their copolymers. In the present study, a multi-scale dynamic model is developed for the prediction of morphological (i.e., particle size distribution, PSD) and molecular (i.e., molecular weight distribution, MWD) distributed polymer properties in a catalytic Ziegler-Natta (Z-N) slurry loop olefin polymerization reactor. The multi-scale description of the slurry loop reactor utilizes models at three different length and time scales, namely, a kinetic model, a single particle model and a population balance model. The proposed kinetic scheme includes all the necessary elementary reactions describing the consumption/production rates of the molecular species of interest. The effects of mass and heat transfer limitations, penetrant(s) solubility, multicomponent diffusion and particle morphology on the particle growth, polymerization rate, particle overheating and molecular properties are analysed. Extensive numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the effect of reactor operating conditions (i.e., recycle ratio, catalyst feed rate, feed composition, temperature, etc.) on the dynamic evolution of the molecular (MWD) and morphological (PSD) distributed polymer properties and reactor stability in an industrial slurry loop reactor.
Presented Tuesday 18, 08:45 to 09:05, in session Multiscale Modeling (T3-5).
