Suspension polymerization of styrene with circular loop reactor

A circular loop reactor was devised and applied to the suspension polymerization of styrene. The transient droplet diameter distribution and the final particle size distribution are measured by changing widely the impeller speed, the dispersed phase volume fraction, and the stabilizer concentration. The effects of these conditions on the size distribution and mean size of the final polymer particle are investigated. An expression correlating the mean particle size with the operating conditions is derived. The circular loop reactor is found to be superior to the production of the polymer particle of uniform size.