Modeling of solid-state polycondensation. II. Reactor design issues

The relative merits of the moving packed bed, fluidized bed, and stirred bed reactors for solid-state polycondensation are discussed along with methods for improving these designs. A general model to describe continuous solid-state polymerization reactors is then developed and illustrated by a case study of a moving packed bed reactor showing the relative importance of operating variables. The model also predicts the dynamic behavior in response to several process inputs.