Numerical simulation to evaluate the effect from pre-polymerization on the behavior of tubular reactors

The present study uses a phenomenological model to simulate a continuous, two-stage polymerization process. This system is composed by a continuous stir-red tank reactor (CSTR) for monomer pre-polymerization (first stage), connected to a tubular reactor (second stage) to carry out the reaction up to high conversion values. A comprehensive non-isothermal 2-D model (axial and radial variations) was used to predict the tubular reactor behavior. A polymer characterization model was also developed to provide estimates of the polymer average molecular weight and polydispersity. According to the results, polymerization reactions carried out in a continuous two-stage system provide a polymer with less heterogeneous properties than the one obtained in a single tubular reactor. Besides, it is possible to produce a more homogeneous polymer increasing the viscosity of the mixture fed in the tubular reactor.