A Lumped Model for Butyl Acrylate Emulsion Polymerization

Abstract

The goal of the present work was to develop a lumped model for butyl acrylate emulsion polymerization based on the monodispersed particle size distribution assumption (all particles having the same particle size at a given time). The polymerization system that the model simulates consists of an isothermal and well-mixed batch reactor with butyl acrylate (monomer), polybutyl acrylate (polymer), potassium persulphate (initiator), sodium dodecyl sulphate (emulsifier) and water as the dispersion medium. The model was validated against the experimental data for the number of particles formed at different emulsifier and initiator amounts, variation of particle diameter with time and the variation of conversion with time at one initiator amount and one emulsifier amount. The model predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data.

Modelling of Butyl Acrylate Emulsion Polymerisation: A Detailed Lumped Parameter Approach

“…The overall reactor balances [Equations (1)(2)(3)(4)] include the material balances for polymer [P], initiator [I], balance for the volume of reactor (V R ) and the number of particle formed (N p ). The material balances, which express the rate of change of moles of each of the species in the reactor, contain accumulation and reaction terms.…”

“…The model predictions showed reasonable agreement with the experimental data for key process and product attributes. Sood and Singh [4] developed a lumped model for this system. Sood et al [5] also developed a population balance model for this system.…”

“…The modelling of this monomer system has been addressed in only five works so far [1][2][3][4][5]. A general lumped model was developed by Gao and Penlidis [1] based on monodispersed particle size distribution assumption (all particles have the same size at a given time).…”

“…The model extended the previously developed lumped model by Sood and Singh [4]. In the model of Sood and Singh [4], the monomer volume fraction in the particle was calculated by using a simple relationship and the average number of radicals per particle was considered as an adjustable parameter.…”

“…The model extended the previously developed lumped model by Sood and Singh [4]. In the model of Sood and Singh [4], the monomer volume fraction in the particle was calculated by using a simple relationship and the average number of radicals per particle was considered as an adjustable parameter. In the present model, the monomer volume fraction in the particle was calculated using a thermodynamic equation and the average number of radicals per particle was calculated according to a relationship given for the pseudo-bulk kinetics.…”