Application of Raman Spectroscopy to Characterization of Residence Time Distribution and Online Monitoring of a Pilot-Scale Tubular Reactor for Acrylic Acid Solution Polymerization
Abstract
A pilot-scale tubular reactor containing static mixers is equipped with several Raman probes in order to perform online monitoring of radical copolymerization of acrylic acid in aqueous solution. This setup allows determination of residence time distribution while polymerization reaction occurs, using sodium nitrate as a tracer. These results prove that the use of convenient static mixers allows obtaining a nearly perfect plug-flow reactor in all explored conditions (reactive and nonreactive medium, between 0.001 and 1 Pa s viscosity). Furthermore, the dynamics of the pilot-scale reactor is characterized. Experimental transient and steady-state values are compared to predictions based both on residence time distribution and model of polymerization kinetics. The applicability of Raman spectroscopy to online monitoring of pilot-scale reactors is demonstrated.