Applied Thermodynamics for Process Modeling in Catalytic Gas Phase Olefin Polymerization Reactors

The Sanchez–Lacombe Equation of State (SL EoS) is used to model the solubility of different industrial alkane penetrants in polyethylene to explain the importance of considering different diluents for different processes, and the impact that this choice can have on operating conditions, especially f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Macromolecular reaction engineering 2020-02, Vol.14 (1), p.n/a
Main Authors: Bashir, Muhammad Ahsan, Kanellopoulos, Vasileios, Al‐haj Ali, Mohammad, McKenna, Timothy F.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkanes
applied thermodynamics
Chemical engineering
Chemical Sciences
Composition effects
Density
Equations of state
Low density polyethylenes
olefin polymerization
or physical chemistry
Particle size distribution
Penetrants
Polyethylene
Polymerization
Polymers
Solubility
swelling
Theoretical and
Vapor phases
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Summary:The Sanchez–Lacombe Equation of State (SL EoS) is used to model the solubility of different industrial alkane penetrants in polyethylene to explain the importance of considering different diluents for different processes, and the impact that this choice can have on operating conditions, especially for the production of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). Extension of this approach to ternary (ethylene/penetrant/LLDPE) systems shows the effect of composition of penetrant/ethylene mixtures on the solubility of such mixtures in LLDPE and swelling of the polymer phase at conditions of industrial relevance. This analysis reveals that using a constant polymer density instead of that predicted by the SL EoS can result in erroneous calculations of the particle size distribution developments in an olefin polymerization reactor. The importance of correctly estimating the level of particle swelling during the polymerization of olefins in gas phase reactors is demonstrated. It is shown that poor predictions of the particle size and particle size distribution will result from ignoring the complex thermodynamic interactions between the polymer and multiple penetrants and using a constant polymer density instead.
ISSN:1862-832X
1862-8338
DOI:10.1002/mren.201900029