Mass and energy balances in a reactor have been derived to study the effect of particle size distribution(PSD) for each reaction mechanism on the reactor dynamics. It was observed that the PSD affects both bed height and particle volume. A feasible region for reactor operation has been calculated by using physical constraints. In a nonisothermal polymerization system, the reactor temperature does not change appreciably as catalyst injection rate increases. A unique steady state solution is found in a gas-phase continuous stirred-bed propylene polymerization reactor. The eigenvalues of the system of equations indicate that the steady state is unstable. A comparison with published data allows the observation that the actual reactor dynamics may be readily explained by using only the PSD derived from a simple reaction mechanism.

Olefin Polymerization Particle Size Distribution Reactor Dynamics

Aris R, "Elementary Chemical Reactor Analysis," Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (1969)
Bequette BW, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 30, 1391 (1991) 
Bosworth DJ, "The Mathematical Modelling of Gas-Phase Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of London (1983)
Brockmeier NF, Rogan JB, AIChE Symp. Ser., 72(160), 28 (1976)
Chen CM, "Gas Phase Olefin Copolymerization with Ziegler-Natta Catalysts," Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (1993)
Choi KY, "The Reaction Kinetics, Modeling and Control of Solid Catalyzed Gas Phase Olefin Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1984)
Choi KY, Ray WH, J. Macromol. Sci.-Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys., C25(1), 57 (1985)
Choi KY, Ray WH, Chem. Eng. Sci., 43(10), 2587 (1988) 
Floyd S, Choi KY, Taylor TW, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 32, 2935 (1986) 
Floyd S, Choi KY, Taylor TW, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 31, 2131 (1986)
Floyd S, Heiskanen T, Taylor TW, Mann GE, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 33, 1021 (1987) 
Galvan R, "Modeling of Heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta (Co) Polymerization of α-Olefin," Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Minesota (1986)
Gonzalez V, "Estimation and Control of Molecular Weight Distributions in Polymethyl Methacrylate Polymerizations," Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Minnesota (1990)
Hutchinson RA, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 34, 657 (1987) 
Hutchinson RA, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 41, 51 (1990) 
Karol FJ, Catal. Rev.-Sci. Eng., 26(3-4), 557 (1984)
Kim JY, Conner WC, Laurence RL, Korean J. Chem. Eng., to submitted (1997)
Kuo C, "Magnesium Chloride Supported High-Activity Catalyst for Olefin Polymerization," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1985)
McAuley KB, MacGregor JF, Hamielec AE, AIChE J., 36(6), 837 (1990) 
Min KW, "The Modeling and Simulation of Emulsion Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, SUNY, Buffalo (1976)
Min KW, Ray WH, J. Macromol. Sci.-Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys., C11(2), 177 (1974)
Rawlings JB, "Simulation and Stability of Continuous Fmulsion Polymerization Reactors," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1985)
Reid RC, Prausnitz JM, Poling BE, "The Properties of Gases and Liquids," McGraw-Hill, Englewood-Cliffs, New Jersey (1987)
Rincon-Rubio LM, Wilen CE, Lindfors LE, Eur. Polym. J., 26(2), 171 (1990) 
Sarkar P, Gupta SK, Polym. Eng. Sci., 32(11), 732 (1992) 
Sarkar P, Gupta SK, Polymer, 34(21), 4417 (1993) 
Srinivasan PR, Shashikant PR, Sivaram S, Chem. Ind., 723 (1988)
Tait PJT, "Monoalkene Polymerization: Ziegler-Natta and Transition Metal Catalysts," in G. Allen and J.C. Bevington ed., Comprehensive Polymer Science: The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions & Applications of Polymers, Pergamon Press (1989)
Tait PJT, Watkins ND, "Monoalkene Polymerization: Mechanisms," in G.H. Allen and J.C. Bevington ed., Comprehensive Polymer Science: The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions & Applications of Polymers, Pergamon Press (1989)
Yuan HG, Taylor TW, Choi KY, Ray WH, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 27, 1691 (1982)