Stochastic Simulation of Droplet Interactions in Suspension Polymerization of Vinyl Chloride

Abstract

In this paper a population balance based mathematical model is presented for describing suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride. The properties of the polymer product and the behaviour of the stirred batch polymerization reactor are investigated by simulation. Two-phase kinetics model of free radical polymerization is used, and heat balance is also included into the model. Beside the coalescence and breakage phenomena, are taken interchanges of species and heat between the droplets induced by collisions into account forming a complex threescale system. The motion of droplets in the physical space of the polymerization reactor, the breakage, coalescence and coalescence/ redispersion processes are simulated by using a coupled continuous time – Monte Carlo method.