Modeling of methyl methacrylate Polymerization in a tubular reactor by utilize Power law model for determination of velocity profile

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Abstract

Significantly velocity profile in tubular reactors is affect in outlet products. In order to obtain velocity profile, rheological models can be used. One of them is Power law model. One of the most important and effective parameters that it can be observed in this model is the n parameter. In this work, investigations of influence n on velocity profile in laminar flow and on conversion of a tubular reactor that Methyl Methacrylate polymerization occurs in the reactor are presented. Furthermore, this study is investigated rheological properties of outlet and inlet solution of the reactor with a rheometer and the value of n is estimated 0.8403 by curve fitting. The results indicate that with increasing the value of n, the pattern of motion is close to mixed. In addition, it can be observed that the conversion increases with decreasing the value of n and there exist maximum of conversion for the reactor in n=0. In other words, the conversion in n=0 is very close to the conversion in plug flow pattern and this means that in this situation velocity profile is plug flow. In the last part of this work, by the value of n that has been estimated, a modeling of the reactor is presented. The obtained conversion from modeling is 69.66 % and this value is very close to empirical conversion from paper Fan et al (65 %), and this means the modeling is acceptable.

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References

 
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Journal of Modeling in Engineering
Volume 14, Issue 44
April 2016
Pages 117-127

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History

  • Receive Date: 28 January 2017
  • Revise Date: 16 September 2017
  • Accept Date: 28 January 2017

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