Kinetic modeling of propylene homopolymerization in a gas-phase fluidized-bed reactor
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Abstract
A comprehensive mechanistic model describing gas-phase propylene polymerization is developed. The kinetics of polymerization is based on a multiple active site for Ziegler-Natta catalyst. The model considers the polymerization reaction to take place in both bubble and emulsion phases. The developed model was used to predict polymer production rate, number and weight average molecular weights, polydispersity index (PDI) and melt flow index (MFI). Results showed that by increasing the superficial gas velocity from 0.1 to 0.7 m/s the proportion of the polymer produced in the bubble phase increases from 7.92 to 13.14 which highlights the importance of considering the existence of catalyst in the bubble phase. Comparing the developed model with published models of the same reactor revealed that the polymer productivity will be higher using the new model at high catalyst feed rate.
Keywords
Fluidized-bed reactor, Homopolymerization kinetic model, Propylene polymerization, Ziegler-natta catalyst, Active site, Catalyst feed rates, Developed model, Emulsion phasis, Fluidized bed reactors, Gasphase, Kinetic modeling, Mechanistic models, Melt flow index, New model, Polydispersity indices, Polymer production rate, Polymerization reaction, Superficial gas velocities, Weight-average molecular weight, Ziegler-Natta catalysts, Catalysts, Chemical reactors, Emulsification, Fluidization, Fluidized beds, Kinetic theory, Polydispersity, Polymers, Propylene, Supersaturation, Homopolymerization.
Divisions
fac_eng
Publication Title
Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume
161
Issue
1-2
Publisher
Elsevier
Additional Information
621QJ Times Cited:3 Cited References Count:29