Prediction of molecular weight distribution of high‐density polyethylene made in a continuous reactor from fixed ethylene concentration batch reactor data

摘要

AbstractThe polydispersity index,Mw/Mn, of the product of an ideal continuous stirred tank reactor can be predicted from batch reactor data. A method for the prediction, in the case of high‐density polyethylene synthesis, comes from finding the effect of catalyst age upon yield,Mw, andMnin a batch reactor operated at constant pressure. These catalyst age effects are combined with the catalyst age distribution in the continuous reactor, and integration over all ages gives the yield and the polydispersity index for the continuous reactor product. This scheme for prediction was applied to a particular catalyst system, and the calculated values have been found to agree with observation