In a polypropylene plant using the batch process with liquid-phase small reactors, the reaction is intense in the early stages of production but weak in the later stages – how can this be adjusted?
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In polypropylene plants that use the batch process with a liquid-phase small reactor, the reaction is intense in the early stages of production but weak in the later stages. Could someone please analyze the reasons for this and suggest how to make adjustments?
First, it is necessary to know the mass flow rate of propylene in order to determine the heat of reaction; it is possible that the heat generated during the reaction cannot be dissipated properly in the initial stage, leading to intense reactions. Increasing the flow rate of cooling water may then cause the temperature to drop too much, resulting in a slower reaction rate. One can try adjusting the initial propylene feed rate, then gradually increase the propylene flow until heat generation and heat dissipation reach a dynamic equilibrium.
To address the decrease in reaction rate in the later stages, samples can also be taken to check whether impurities such as water and S in the propylene are causing the catalyst to become poisoned/inactivated. But overall, it should still be a problem with the heat of reaction