Properties of Smart-Scaled PTFE-Tubular Reactors for Continuous Emulsion Polymerization Reactions

Summary This article presents a novel design of smart scale PTFE tubular reactor systems for continuous polymerization reactions. To optimize the flow pattern, CFD calculations and RTD experiments were done. These results led to an unique tube geometry combined with a specialized arrangement of static mixers. A comparison of heat transfer properties of two different types of tubular reactors shows the feasibility of using PTFE instead of stainless steel as reactor construction material. The versatility of the operation modes is demonstrated for emulsion copolymerization experiments with the same recipe but at the different modes.