Dynamic modeling and Molecular Weight Distribution of ethylene copolymerization in an industrial gas-phase Fluidized-Bed Reactor

• A two-phase dynamic ethylene polymerization model was developed.
• Solid elutriation was considered in mass and energy balances.
• Results have been compared with industrial data.
• The model could estimate reactor parameters and polymer properties more accurately.

A dynamic model for ethylene copolymerization in an industrial Fluidized-Bed Reactor (FBR) is developed to describe its behavior and calculate the properties of polyethylene. The presented model considers particle entrainment and polymerization reaction in two phases. Two-site kinetic and hydrodynamic models in combination, provide a comprehensive model for the gas phase fluidized-bed polyethylene production reactor. The governing moment and hydrodynamic differential equations were solved simultaneously and the results compared with a similar work, as well as industrial data. The dynamic model showed accurate results for predicting Polydispersity Index (PDI), Molecular Weight Distribution (MWD), reactor temperature and polymer production rate.

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