Coupling of CFD with PBM for a pilot-plant tubular loop polymerization reactor

A computational fluid dynamics model, coupled with population balance model (CFD–PBM), was developed to describe the liquid–solid two-phase flow in a pilot-plant tubular loop propylene polymerization reactor. The model combines the advantage of CFD to calculate the entire flow field and that of PBM to calculate the particle size distribution (PSD). Particle growth, aggregation and breakage were taken into account to describe the evolution of the PSD. The model was first validated by comparing simulation results with the classical calculated data. Furthermore, four cases studies, involving particle aggregation, particle breakage, particle growth or involving particle growth, breakage and aggregation, were designed to identify the model. The entire flow behavior and PSD in the tubular loop reactor, i.e. PSD, solid holdup and liquid phase velocity distribution, were also obtained numerically. The results showed that the model is effective in describing the entire flow behavior and in tracking the evolution of the PSD.

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► We present a CFD–PBM model to describe the flow in a loop polymerization reactor.
► The model is validated by comparing simulation results with the classical data.
► Four cases studies are designed to identify the model.
► The model is effective in describing the entire flow and tracking the PSD evolution.