Mathematical model and analysis of PMMA solution processes

A mathematical model of reactors for the polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) has been developed and analyzed in order to better understand the reactor dynamics and to determine conditions for improved operation. The exploration of the effect of heat transfer in an MMA polymerization reactor system has been conducted by the development of a detailed model. Two correlations for the overall heat transfer coefficient have been used to study the effect of heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient estimated by an empirical correlation (Kravaris) is only a function of conversion. Due to its simplicity, it may not express very well the true heat transfer phenomena. But in Henderson’s correlation, it is related to the viscosity of the reaction mixture, which in turn depends on the reaction temperature and volume fraction of each species in the reactor. The steady state solutions of mass and energy balances in the reactor depend on the nature of the heat transfer correlation, as does the number of isola branches. Henderson’s correlation may be preferred to calculate the dynamics of the PMMA reactors. The addition of jacket dynamics to the system results in no isola solution branches and no Hopf bifurcations.