Reaction Dynamics During the Testing of Polymerization Catalyst

The olefins polymerization process in a slurry reactor is discussed. the reaction rate dynamics was analyzed and the contributions of feed flow, gasliquid mass transfer, polymerization reaction, and catalyst deactivation were estimated. the propylene solubility in a solvent mixture “heptane” was calculated using soaveredlichkwong equation of state. these data were then approximated by henrylike equation and the results were verified in experiments. the influence of propylene dissolving in ”heptane which was examined in special experiments without catalyst has provided the independent estimation of gasliquid mass transfer coefficient. it has been shown that the reaction rate during the first 2030 min of test is much lower (or higher) than total monomer consumption, depending on reactant addition sequence. the method of kinetic experiments interpretation and corresponding mathematical model are proposed. the method enables to estimate the kinetic parameter of monomer dissolution, the reaction rate constant of polymerization, as well as the parameters of active centers transformation – activation, deactivation and selfregeneration. an adequacy of model was proved by the description of experiments at two different pressures but with the same parameters values.