Modeling of Industrial High Pressure Autoclave Polyethylene Reactor Including Decomposition Phenomena

Hee-Jong Lee; Yeong-Koo Yeo; Jin Yang Chang

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.17, No.2, 223-229, March, 2000

DOI10.1007/BF02707147 Export Citation

Modeling of Industrial High Pressure Autoclave Polyethylene Reactor Including Decomposition Phenomena

Hee-Jong Lee, Yeong-Koo Yeo^†, and Jin Yang Chang¹

Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Sungdong-ku, Seoul 133-791, Korea
¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Daelim Industrial Co., Chung-Ku, Seoul, Korea

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The aim of the present work is the development of a practical model for an industrial high-pressure polyethlene plant. The reactor considered in this work is the adiabatic slim type autoclave with four zones for free radical polymerization of ethylene. A fairly comprehensive but realistic model is described that has the ability to predict the temperature at each reaction zone as well as effects of initiator flow changes. From the stability analysis we could identify the range of operating conditions which can effectively be used to prevent decomposition phenomena (runaway reactions) and to maximize polymer conversion in LDPE autoclaves.

Keywords:LDPE;Autoclave Polyethylene Reactor;Decomposition Reactions Runaway Phenomena;Free Radical Polymerization

[References]

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Hollar W, Chem. Eng. Sci., 14, 241 (1961)
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Lee J, Polym. Eng. Sci., 39(7), 1279 (1999)
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[1] Agrawal S, AIChE J., 21, 449 (1975)

[2] Agrawal S, AIChE J., 21, 449 (1975)

[3] Ahn YC, Rhee HK, Choi CK, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 23(6), 399 (1985)

[4] Benzler Von Dr.-Ing. H., Chem. Ing. Tech., 27, 71 (1955)

[5] Brandolin A, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 27, 784 (1988)

[6] Chan WM, AIChE J., 39, 111 (1993)

[7] Chen CH, AIChE J., 22, 463 (1976)

[8] Ehrlich P, Adv. Polym. Sci., 7, 336 (1971)

[9] Feucht P, Chem. Eng. Sci., 40, 1935 (1985)

[10] Gardner GM, "A Theoretical Study of the Kinetics of Polyethylene Reactor Decompositions," MS Thesis, Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock (1975)

[11] Goto S, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 36, 21 (1981)

[12] Ham JY, J. Process Control, 6, 241 (1996)

[13] Han CD, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 15, 249 (1977)

[14] Hoffman WJ, "Decompositions in Polyethylene Reactors: A Theoretical Study," AIChE Meeting, Washington, DC, Paper 63d (1974)

[15] Hoftyzer PJ, Chem. Eng. Sci., 14, 241 (1961)

[16] Hollar W, Chem. Eng. Sci., 14, 241 (1961)

[17] Hucknall DH, "Chemistry of Hydrocarbon Combustion," Chapman & Hall, London, 335 (1985)

[18] Hulburt HM, Chem. Eng. Sci., 19, 555 (1964)

[19] Lee J, Polym. Eng. Sci., 39(7), 1279 (1999)

[20] Marini L, AIChE J., 30, 401 (1984)

[21] Marini L, Chem. Eng. Commun., 30, 361 (1984)

[22] Mavridis H, Poly. Process. Eng., 3, 263 (1985)

[23] Michels A, Physica, 12, 105 (1946)

[24] Miller SA, "Biological Properties and Other Chemical Properties," Ethylene and Its Industrial Derivatives, S. A. Miller, ek., Ernest Benn, London, 1118 (1969)

[25] Shirodkar PP, Chem. Eng. Sci., 41, 1031 (1986)

[26] Solvik RS, Polyethylenes (1983)

[27] Sullivan JF, "Decomposition Venting in a Polyethylene Product Separator," Codes and Standards and Applications for High Pressure Equipment, J.C. Staffiera, ed., ASME, New York, 191 (1992)

[28] Tanzawa H, J. Phys. Chem., 84, 236 (1980)

[29] Watanabe H, "The Explosive Decomposition of Ethylene," Proc. Pacific Chemical Engineering Congress (PACHEC), AIChE, New York, 225 (1972)

[30] Yoon BJ, Chem. Eng. Commun., 34, 253 (1985)

[31] Zabisky RC, Polymer, 33, 2243 (1992)

[32] Zhang SX, AIChE J., 42, 2911 (1996)