Catalytic olefin polymerization: Modelling of heterogeneous kinetics and single-particle growth
[Thesis]
Mohammed Adel Alkatheri
Almansoori, Ali
The Petroleum Institute (United Arab Emirates)
2015
182
Committee members: Alhassan, Saeed M.; Banat, Fawzi
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-339-16150-1
M.S.
Chemical Engineering
The Petroleum Institute (United Arab Emirates)
2015
As the polymer industry becomes more competitive, polymer manufacturers face increasing pressures for production cost reductions and more stringent 'polymer quality' requirements. To achieve these goals one needs to develop comprehensive mathematical models capable of predicting the molecular and morphological properties in terms of reactor configuration and operating conditions. These mathematical representations can be classified into microscale kinetic models, mesoscale physical transport and thermodynamic models and macroscale dynamic reactor ones. In the present work, comprehensive mathematical models on microscale kinetic models and mesoscale transport models (i.e., single particle growth) of heterogeneous catalytic olefins polymerization over Ziegler - Natta (Z-N) catalyst are developed.