Fundamental Studies of Polymerization Processes

传统上，聚合物的制造在间歇式反应器中进行， 对动力学的相互作用和 运输现象。 随着对聚合物需求的增长， 价格竞争加剧，更有效的聚合方法 正在开发中。 大批量商品聚合物制造商现在 产品线更少，并已转向使用连续 反应堆 产量相对较低、质量较高的生产商（ 价值）聚合物发现其竞争优势来自于 更深入地了解聚合与 条件和产品质量。 通过他的研究工作，PI 预计设计和控制反应堆能够产生更多的 均匀和更高质量的聚合物。 新型可控反应堆设计的一个关键方面是 需要更好地了解 聚合反应器 聚合反应的特征通常是 大量的热释放、高粘度和难以排热--所有这些 这导致难以控制动态行为 的反应堆。 第二个特别重要的领域是， 聚合反应工程是一个不断发展的 液相和气相方法， 聚烯烃生产（例如，聚乙烯、聚丙烯，以及 共聚物）。 第三个具有巨大潜力的领域 改进是在开发聚合物的新工艺， 缩聚反应 这类聚合物包括许多纤维 和工程塑料。 在这个项目中，PI将继续 对这些问题的研究通过实验和 连续聚合的定量理论研究 反应堆 他计划从数量上了解 控制化学和物理现象（即，通过 详细的数学模型由实验数据证实）和 利用这种新的理解 (i)设计改良的反应堆设计， 更好地控制聚合物性能， 困难的动力。 通过定量测定 操作条件和系统参数范围 出现振荡和稳定性问题时， 期望提供设计程序，满足 聚合物产品规格和经济性好 但是其避免了那些导致 困难的动态行为。 (ii)为反应堆开发新型在线传感器 和聚合物颗粒， 控制产品，并将这些新的在线联合收割机 具有反馈策略的聚合物特性传感器， 提供控制方案， 操作和产品质量的严密控制。 （三） 为现有和新兴的核反应堆设计新的反应堆， 聚合物产品的种类。 * * * //

Traditionally, manufacture of polymers was done in batch reactors with little fundamental understanding of the interaction of kinetics and transport phenomena. With the growth of demand for polymers and increased price competition, more efficient polymerization methods are being developed. Manufacturers of high volume commodity polymers now have fewer product lines and have moved to the use of continuous reactors. Producers of relatively low volume, high quality (and value) polymers are finding that their competitive edge comes from a deeper understanding of the relationship between polymerization conditions and product quality. Through his research efforts, the PI expects to design and control reactors capable of producing a more uniform and higher quality polymer. One crucial aspect of new, controllable reactor designs is the requirement for improved understanding of the dynamics of polymerization reactors. Polymerization is often characterized by large heat release, high viscosity, and difficult heat removal--all of which contribute to difficulties in controlling the dynamic behavior of the reactor. A second area of particular importance in polymerization reaction engineering is the development of continuous liquid and gas phase processes for polyolefin production (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymers). A third area with great potential for process improvements is in developing new processes for polymers made by polycondensation. This class of polymers encompasses many fibers and engineering plastics. In this project the PI will pursue research on these problems through both experimental and quantitative theoretical studies of continuous polymerization reactors. He plans to develop a quantitative understanding of the governing chemical and physical phenomena (i.e., through detailed mathematical models comfirmed by experimental data) and to use this new understanding (i) To devise improved reactor designs which provide better control of polymer properties and also minimize difficult dynamics. By quantitatively determining the ranges of operating conditions and system parameters for which oscillations and stability problems arise, he expects to provide design procedures which satisfy the polymer product specifications and have good economics but which avoid those parameter combinations leading to difficult dynamic behavior. (ii) To develop new types of on-line sensors for the reactor and polymer particles which allow closer quality control of the product and to combine these new on-line polymer property sensors with feedback strategies to provide control schemes which lead to safe dynamic operation and close control of product quality. (iii) To devise new reactor designs for existing and emerging classes of polymer products. * * * //