Modelling and Simulation of a Batch Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Reactor

A population balance model for batch suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride is presented. Break up into two equal volumes of droplets, binary aggregation and random mass exchanges between the colliding droplets are assumed, while the kinetic data of vinyl chloride polymerization are taken from the literature. The model and the process are analyzed by simulation applying a novel Monte Carlo method taking into account breakage and aggregation of droplets as well as micromixing induced by droplet binary collisions as stochastic discrete event processes. The results revealed that this method of modelling describes phenomena in suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride properly.