Continuous Bulk Process for the Production of High‐Impact Polystyrene: Recent Developments in Modeling and Control

This work presents (in a wider perspective), some of our recent developments in the mathematical modeling and control of bulk polymerization for the production of HIPS. The recent model by Casís assumes the polymerization to be heterogeneous, and it calculates (in two phases) the global molecular structure of the three polymeric components of HIPS (free polystyrene, unreacted polybutadiene, and graft copolymer). At present, a model is being developed capable of estimating the average particle morphology (salami or core‐shell). Assuming a continuous bulk HIPS process as homogeneous, Luciani estimated the evolution of the MFI of the final product during changes of grade, with the aim of minimizing the intermediate off‐spec product. Finally, an unpublished simulation is presented that describes the transitions between the steady state of a HIPS‐grade and that of a general‐purpose polystyrene.