Batch reactor physical characteristics

This paper presents the physical mechanism and the structure of a comprehensive dynamic Emulsion Polymerization Model (EPM). EPM combines the theory of coagulative nucleation of homogeneously nucleated precursors with detailed species material and energy balances to calculate the time evolution of the concentration, size, and colloidal characteristics of latex particles, the monomer conversions, the copolymer composition, and molecular weight in an emulsion system. The capabilities of EPM are demonstrated by comparisons of its predictions with experimental data from the literature covering styrene and styrene/methyl methacrylate polymerizations. EPM can successfully simulate continuous and batch reactors over a wide range of initiator and added surfactant concentrations. 

In order to illustrate how the mode of operation can positively modify selectivity for a large reactor of poor heat-transfer characteristics, simulations of the reactions specified in Example 5.3.1.4 carried out in a semibatch reactor were performed. The reaction data and process conditions are essentially the same as those for the batch reactor, except that the initial concentration of A was decreased to cao = 0.46 mol litre, and the remaining amount of A is dosed (1) either for the whole reaction time of 1.5 h with a rate of 0.1 mol m s", or (2) starting after 0.5 h with a rate of 0.15 mol m " s". It is assumed that the volume of the reaction mixture and its physical properties do not change during dosing. The results of these simulations are shown in Fig. 5.3-15. The results of calculation for reactors of both types are summarized in Table 5.3-3. 

The choice of a reactor is usually based on several factors such as the desired production rate, the chemical and physical characteristics of the chemical process, and the risk of hazards for each type of reactor. In general, small production requirements suggest batch or semi-batch reactors, while large production rates are better accommodated in continuous reactors, either plug flow or continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR). The chemical and physical features that determine the optimum reactor are treated in books on reaction engineering and thus are not considered here. 

Within each of the three general approaches toward process synthesis, key decisions are made about the flowsheet design that have a bearing on the operability characteristics of the plant. For example, in a hierarchical procedure (Ref. 6) we will make decisions about whether the plant is batch or continuous, what types of reactors are used, how material is recycled, what methods and sequences of separation are employed, how much energy integration is involved, etc. In a thermodynamic pinch analysis, we typically start with some flowsheet information, but we must then decide what streams or units to include in the analysis, what level of utilities are involved, what thermodynamic targets are used, etc. In an optimization approach, we must decide the scope of the superstructure to use, what physical data to include, what constraints to apply, what disturbances or uncertainties to consider, what objective function to employ, etc (Ref. 7). 

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