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Modeling the Dynamics of the Xylene Soluble Fraction (XS) in a Bulk Propylene Polymerization Process |
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| Authors: | Fabricio Machado José Carlos Pinto |
| Institution: | 1. Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, CP 04478, Brasília 70910‐900, DF, Brazil;2. Programa de Engenharia Química/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, CP 68502, Rio de Janeiro 21941‐972, RJ, Brazil |
| Abstract: | A model is built to describe the dynamic trajectories of the xylene soluble fraction (XS) in an industrial bulk propylene polymerization process. Emphasis is given to the coupling between the XS dynamics and the reactor liquid bleed policy. It is shown that cocatalyst recirculation can affect the dynamics of the cocatalyst/donor ratio and consequently the dynamics of XS during polymerization. Simulation results indicate that the effect of the reactor liquid bleed operation and of the cocatalyst/donor ratio upon the XS trajectories can be minimized if PI controllers are designed to control the propane concentration and to increase the speed of the cocatalyst/donor transitions. Finally, it is shown that the model is able to reproduce the dynamic XS profile obtained during a large XS transition at plant site.  |
| Keywords: | bulk polymerization modeling poly(propylene) (PP) process control xylene soluble fraction (XS) |