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Modeling and optimization of suspension SAN polymerization re actors
Author(s) -
Cavalcanti M. J. R.,
Pinto J. C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19970829)65:9<1683::aid-app5>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - acrylonitrile , polymerization , polymer , styrene , suspension (topology) , polymer chemistry , chain transfer , suspension polymerization , materials science , polymer science , copolymer , chemical engineering , radical polymerization , mathematics , composite material , engineering , homotopy , pure mathematics
A detailed mathematical model is developed to describe the operation of batch‐modified SAN [styrene (ST)/acrylonitrile (AN)/α‐methylstyrene (AMS)] terpolymerization reactors. The model is validated by comparing simulation results with published and plant experimental data. Optimal temperature policies and initiator feed concentrations are then computed. It is shown that optimal operation conditions may be extremely sensitive to small perturbations, so that optimal operation conditions may actually be unfeasible. It is also shown that average polymer molecular weight may be properly controlled by adding small amounts of inhibitor into the polymerization medium, which is usually cheaper than using chain transfer agents to control the average polymer molecular weight. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 65:1683–1701, 1997