STEADY-STATE MODELLING OF A LATEX REACTOR TRAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF STYRENE-BUTADIENE RUBBER

A mathematical model is developed for the emulsion copolymerization of styrene and butadiene carried out in a continuous train of stirred tank reactors. The model predicts copolymer composition, conversion, molecular weight averages, and long chain branching frequencies, as well as the latex particle size distribution for all reactors in the train. It is capable of simulating closely the behaviour of industrial SBR processes. Several simulation …