Semibatch reactor theory

Nomura and Fujita (12), Dougherty (13-14), and Storti et al. (12). Space does not permit a review of each of these papers. This paper presents the development of a more extensive model in terms of particle formation mechanism, copolymer kinetic mechanism, applicability to intervals I, II and III, and the capability to simulate batch, semibatch, or continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR). Our aim has been to combine into a single coherent model the best aspects of previous models together with the coagulative nucleation theory of Feeney et al. (8-9) in order to enhance our understanding of... 

There are five primary reactor designs based in theory batch, semibatch, continuous-stirred tank, plug flow, and fluidized bed. The operating expressions for these reactors are derived from material and energy balances, and each represents a specific mode of operation. Selected reactor configurations are presented in Fig. 1. 

Donati, G., and Paludetto, R. (1999), Batch and semibatch catalytic reactors (from theory to practice), Catalysis Today, 52(2-3) 183-195. 

For heterogeneous catalysts, tandem reactor technology also relies on the fact that each polymer particle is in fact a microreactor operated in semibatch mode, into which monomers and chain-transfer agents are fed continually, while the polymer formed never leaves the microreactor. In this way, polymer populations with different average properties are produced in each reactor and accumulate in the polymer particle microreactor, as illustrated in Figure 8.37. In theory, an optimal balance does exist between the fractions of these different populations to meet certain performance criteria. This creates a truly fascinating reactor and product design problem because the fractions of the different polymer populations per particle will be a function of the residence time distribution in the individual reactors in the reactor train. 

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