Modeling Fouling Effects in LDPE Tubular Polymerization Reactors. 1. Fouling Thickness Determination

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 1474 - 1479
• Main Authors: Buchelli, Alberto, Call, Michael L, Brown, Allen L, Bird, Andrew, Hearn, Steve, Hannon, Joe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 02-03-2005
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Reactors; Modeling; Fouling; Polymerization reactor
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/ie040157q

Fouling in a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubular polymerization reactor is caused by the polyethylene/ethylene mixture forming two phases inside the reactor. Some of the polymer-rich phase is deposited on the reactor's inside wall, which considerably reduces heat-transfer rates. At a given reactor pressure, the reactor inside wall temperature is the critical parameter in determining when fouling occurs and this is controlled by the coolant stream temperatures. In this work, plant data and a heat-transfer model were used to determine the fouling thickness in a LDPE industrial reactor and the speed at which the foulant material is deposited.