Continuous Emulsion Polymerization of Styrene in a Single Couette-Tarylor Vrotex Flow Reactor

摘要

The effect of the geometrical and operational parameters on the mixing characteristics of a Couette- Taylor vortex flow reactor ( CTVFR) were investigated and were correlated with the same parameters by using the tank-in-series model. Contin- uous emulsion polymerization of styrene was conducted at 50°C in a CTVFR to clarify the effects on kinetic behavior and reactor performance of operational parameters such as rotational speed of inner cylinder (Taylor number), reactor mean residence time. and emulsifier and initiator concentrations in the feed streams. It was found that steady- state monomer conversion and particle number could be freely varied only by varying the Taylor number. In order to explain the observed kinetic behavior of this polymer- ization system, a mathematical model was developed by combining the empirical correlation of the mixing characteristics of a CTVFR and a previously proposed kinetic model for the continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene in continuous stirred tank reactors connected in series (CSTRs). On the basis of these experimental results. it was concluded that a CTVFR is suitable for the first reactor (prereactor) of a continuous emulsion polYIJlerization reactor system.