Optimal operating strategies for emulsion terpolymerisation

Optimal control policies for emulsion terpolymerisation of styrene, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) were determined in a semi-batch reactor using the multi-objective dynamic optimisation method. A comprehensive dynamic model was used for the design of optimal control. The control vector parameterisation (CVP) approach was implemented for constrained optimisation for emulsion terpolymerisation reactors. The feed rates of styrene, MMA, MA, surfactant and initiator, and the temperature of the reactor were used as manipulating variables to produce terpolymers of desired composition, molecular weight distribution (MWD) and particle size distribution (PSD). The particle size polydispersity index (PSPI), molecular weight polydispersity index (MWPI) and the overall terpolymer composition ratios were incorporated in the objective functions to optimise the PSD, MWD and terpolymer composition, respectively. The optimised operational policies were validated with experiments via one stirred tank polymerisation reactor.