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Modeling of a Buss‐Kneader as a polymerization reactor for acrylates. Part I: Model validation
Author(s) -
Troelstra E. J.,
Van Lune J.,
Van Dierendonck L. L.,
Janssen L. P. B. M.,
Renken A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.10943
Subject(s) - materials science , polymerization , monomer , dispersion (optics) , mixing (physics) , plug flow reactor model , bulk polymerization , polymer chemistry , dispersion polymerization , chemical engineering , composite material , polymer , continuous stirred tank reactor , radical polymerization , physics , quantum mechanics , optics , engineering
The Buss‐Kneader is generally known as a compounding device. Although a reasonable number of papers have been published on extruders as polymerization reactors, only little is known about the behavior of the Buss‐Kneader when used as a polymerization reactor. Its good mixing properties in the radial and axial directions make it a suitable reactor for exothermal polymerization reactions. This paper describes experiments with the co‐polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate and hydroxyethyl methacrylate in a Buss‐Kneader. For model calculations the Buss‐Kneader was treated as a plug flow reactor with axial dispersion. Experimental results on axial temperature profile, monomer conversion and molecular weight are compared with model calculations. Model parameters are based on independently measured data on the heat transfer coefficient, axial dispersion and polymerization kinetics.