Mathematical modeling, optimization, and quality control of high-pressure ethylene polymerization reactors

This paper reviews recent modeling, optimization, and statistical quality control developments for high-pressure LDPE tubular and vessel reactors. A unified mathematical framework is developed for modeling high-pressure vessel and tubular LDPE reactors. This methodology is based on the most general kinetic mechanisms for ethylene homo- and copolymerization. Advanced thermophysical correlations describing the variation of physical and transport properties of the reaction mixture are presented.