A mathematical model for determining the best process conditions for average Molecular weight and melt flow index of polypropylene

Abstract

The present work describes a mathematical model based on a population balance approach for determining the effect of the reaction temperature and hydrogen amount on the vital final product properties including average molecular weight and polydispersity index and flow index of polypropylene and also the profile rate of the polymerization. The aim of this study was to find the best operating condition through a model which is validated by the experimental data. The software program was coded in MATLAB/SIMULINK. The model profile rates compared with the experimental results to show the accuracy of the model. In this study, it was concluded that increasing the reaction temperature until a certain limit is useful and improve some indices of the final product and after that rising the reaction temperature has a harmful effect on the indices. Exactly the same issue is true in the case of increasing the amount of hydrogen.

KEY WORDS: Mathematical modeling, Propylene polymerization, Melt flow index, Population balance, Average molecular weight, hydrogen

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2019, 33(1), 169-182

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v33i1.17