Polymerization reactors : Safety analysis of batch polymerization reactors

In a polymerization system the self-heating process is strongly influenced by self-acceleration behaviour due to the gel effect. The prime cause of these events is overheating which can lead to hazardous situations. The very high exothermicity of the process connected with a strong acceleration in rate versus conversioni makes the temperature control of the reactor very critical. A research programme on runaway reactions must lead to the identification of chemical, physical chemical and technological characteristics of the system under consideration in order to estimate the system safety and determine the criteria concerning the design and the control of the reactors and their protection systems. Modelling of the process and experimental tests are two efficient tools to investigate an area in which knowledge is still lacking. In this paper the suspension polymerisation of Methylmethacrylate has been studied.