Semibatch polymerization control

An example of a commercial semibatch polymerization process is the early Union Carbide process for Dynel, one of the first flame-retardant modacryhc fibers (23,24). Dynel, a staple fiber that was wet spun from acetone, was introduced in 1951. The polymer is made up of 40% acrylonitrile and 60% vinyl chloride. The reactivity ratios for this monomer pair are 3.7 and 0.074 for acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride in solution at 60°C. Thus acrylonitrile is much more reactive than vinyl chloride in this copolymerization. In addition, vinyl chloride is a strong chain-transfer agent. To make the Dynel composition of 60% vinyl chloride, the monomer composition must be maintained at 82% vinyl chloride. Since acrylonitrile is consumed much more rapidly than vinyl chloride, if no control is exercised over the monomer composition, the acrylonitrile content of the monomer decreases to approximately 1% after only 25% conversion. The low acrylonitrile content of the monomer required for this process introduces yet another problem. That is, with an acrylonitrile weight fraction of only 0.18 in the unreacted monomer mixture, the low concentration of acrylonitrile becomes a rate-limiting reaction step. Therefore, the overall rate of chain growth is low and under normal conditions, with chain transfer and radical recombination, the molecular weight of the polymer is very low. 

Houston, W. E. (1986) Adaptive optimizing control of a semibatch polymerization reactor, MS thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology. 

Optimal Temperature Control of Semibatch Polymerization Reactors... 

In this section, the proposed process-control design approach is illustrated with a representative starved emulsion semibatch polymerization and numerical simulations, with a model that emulates and industrial size reactor [11], Moreover, the simulation example corresponds to a scaled-up version of the theoretical-experimental calorimetrie estimation study presented before with a laboratory scale reactor [15]. 

Statistical Process Control In most cases of batch and semibatch polymerizations, the only measurements of the end-use properties are at the end of the batch. As discussed previously, these are often off-line, laboratory analyses. The same is true for the product quality variables. An example from the synthetic rubber industry is the Mooney viscosity of the rubber. Neither the Mooney viscosity (end-use property) nor its underlying product quality variables (MWD and degree of branching or cross-Unking) is measured online. In fact, in some cases, the polymer quality variables are not measured at... 

Emulsion Process. The emulsion polymerization process utilizes water as a continuous phase with the reactants suspended as microscopic particles. This low viscosity system allows facile mixing and heat transfer for control purposes. An emulsifier is generally employed to stabilize the water insoluble monomers and other reactants, and to prevent reactor fouling. With SAN the system is composed of water, monomers, chain-transfer agents for molecular weight control, emulsifiers, and initiators. Both batch and semibatch processes are employed. Copolymerization is normally carried out at 60 to 100°C to conversions of - 97%. Lower temperature polymerization can be achieved with redox-initiator systems (51). 

The aqueous emulsion polymerization can be conducted by a batch, semibatch, or continuous process (Fig. 5). In a simple batch process, all the ingredients are charged to the reactor, the temperature is raised, and the polymerization is mn to completion. In a semibatch process, all ingredients are charged except the monomers. The monomers are then added continuously to maintain a constant pressure. Once the desired soflds level of the latex is reached (typically 20—40% soflds) the monomer stream is halted, excess monomer is recovered and the latex is isolated. In a continuous process (37), feeding of the ingredients and removal of the polymer latex is continuous through a pressure control or rehef valve. 

Emulsion polymerization reactors are made of stainless steel and are normally equipped with top-entry stirrers and ports for addition of reactants. Control of the reaction exotherm and particle size distribution of the polymer latex is achieved most readily by semibatch (also called semicontinuous) processes, in which some or all of the reactants are fed into the reactor during the course of the polymerization. Examples are given in Chapter 8. In vinyl acetate copolymerizations, a convenient monomer addition rate is such that keeps the vinyl acetate/water azeotrope retluxing. at about 70°C. 

In emulsion polymerizations semibatch operation provides better control of the particle size of the product. The properties of the product polymers can be modified, also, by continuous or intermittent changes in the composition of the monomer feed in emulsion copolymerizations, where a given monomer can be preferentially concentrated in the interior or on the surface of the final particles, as described in Chapter 8. 

In semibatch emulsion polymerizations the polymer particles are kept monomer-starved to obtain higher rates of polymerization and to permit easier control of the rate and particle size distribution. There are two aspects to the control of PSD. The controlled addition of emulsifier during particle growth stabilizes the particles without further particle nucleation. The second aspect is related to the particle sticky stage which often occurs... 

We have presented all these points in order to make the reader realize why relatively few papers in the literature are concerned with the kinetics of aldehyde polymerizations. It is almost impossible to take into consideration all the facts that have been discussed in this introduction in each experiment. Consequently, most authors report simply the time versus conversion curve of the polymerization without a detailed scrutiny of the individual factors. In addition, aldehyde polymerizations are fast, in some cases almost explosive with poor temperature control, and many aldehyde polymerizations are carried out in a semibatch process with continuous addition of monomers, although we know commercial processes are carried out in continuous reaction. 

Figure 7. Degree of polymerization with reaction time in a controlled semibatch reactor. Key ---, WADP -------,...

Liotta, V. Sudol, E.D. El-Aasser, M.S. Georgakis, C. On-line monitoring, modeling, and model validation of semibatch emulsion polymerization in an automated reactor control facility. J. Polym. Sci. Pt. A Polym. Chem. 1998, 36 (10), 1553-1571. 

Crowley, T.J. Meadows, E.S. Kostoulas, E. Doyle, F.J. Control of particle size distribution described by a population balance model of semibatch emulsion polymerization. J. Process. Control 2000, 10 (5), 419-132. 

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