Research Info

In this study, batch stirred poly methyl methacrylate production reactor is modeled. Governing equations are solved using finite difference method by a program written by MATLAB; in order to set the reactor temperature, heating system with variable power and a thermal jacket containing cooling fluid (water) with variable flow rate are considered. Overall heat transfer coefficient is considered to be a function of the cooling fluid volumetric flow and the flow regime; therefore, more accurate estimations of reactor condition is be obtained, and gel effect can be controlled more efficiently. Also, by addition of nanoparticles to cooling fluid at different volume fractions, not only less amount of coolant is needed, but also the controlling system is perform more flexible, especially when the temperature increases suddenly due to gel effect. Because of dependency of overall heat transfer coefficient to the cooling fluid flow rate and its regime, it increases suddenly when regime changes from laminar to turbulent; by the controlling system provided here, sharp temperature increases can be controled faster.