Industrial application of a simulation model for high pressure polymerization of ethylene.

In present work, high pressure ethylene polymerization process for producing low density polyethylene, LDPE, on a continuous stirred tank reactor following the ICI process was studied. A computer model taking into account kinetic mechanism, system thermodynamics, hydrodynamic concepts and reaction control, has been developed. This model is using to predict important operation parameters like catalyst consumption and temperature profiles along the complete reactor, and properties of final product. A very good agreement was found between experimental data obtained in an industrial reactor and those calculated using the simulation model.