Nonlinear study of the periodic operation for free radical homopolymerization reactors

Free radical homopolymerization in a continuous stirred tank reactor yields a product with a constant polydispersity that can not be adjusted. Earlier experimental work has shown that periodic operation induced by a single periodic forced input in the open-loop regime can widen polydisperity. For an industrial reactor: (i) temperature dynamics is coupled to chemical reaction, and therefore, the problem is a multi-input one; and (ii) practical operability considerations demand a closed-loop control strategy In this work, reactor engineering notions, nonlinear control theory and numerical simulation tools are used to establish feasibility of multi-input (initiator feedrate, transfer agent feedrate and coolant temperature) closed-loop periodic operation to regulate conversion (production), molecular weight (quality attribute) and polydispersity (quality attribute).<>