Discrimination of Models for Autocatalytic Polymerization Reactions by Periodic Operation

Abstract

The two models proposed by Katime, I., Perez Ortiz, J.A., and Mendizabal, E. [“Simple Models of Oscillating Polymerizations: Dimeric Form Autocatalysis”, Chem. Eng. Sci., 66, pp. 2261–2265 (2011)] for polymerization autocatalytic reactions are shown to have a significant improvement in conversion under periodic operation. In the present work, the analysis of a plug flow reactor for these two models gives an identical conversion of total propagators under conventional steady-state operation. The models’ behaviour under periodic operation in feed concentration cycling in monomer and/or propagator concentration is evaluated for the average conversion of the propagators. Periodic operation of the reactor shows a distinct difference between the models. The effect of different feed concentration cycling modes is also evaluated for improvement during average conversion.

Keywords:

• Periodic operation
• Autocatalytic polymerization reaction
• Plug flow reactor
• Model discrimination

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.