To provide comprehensive information on polymers and polymerization processes used to produce polyethylenes, polypropylenes and polystyrene.
Public :
Engineers and technical staff interested in the manufacturing of commodity polymers.
Level :Skilled
Prerequisite :
To fulfill at least one of the following criteria:
to have a Master degree or equivalent,
or to have a proven professional experience of 1 year related to a polymerization unit,
or to be in the process of moving towards a technical position related to the manufacturing of commodity polymers.
Course Content
MAJOR POLYMERS
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Duration : 0.5 Day
Various polymer families: commodities, engineering, high performance polymers.
History of polyethylene development.
History of polypropylene development, the youngest of all commodity polymers. Various types of grades (homo, block, random, isotactic, syndiotactic, atactic...); their main applications.
Project management in petrochemical industry. Patent strategy. Staging of projects Order of magnitude of investment costs.
Fixed and variable cost for site production and outside logistics.
Polymer pricing mechanisms. Notion of economical spread. Explanations of the causes of polymers wide price fluctuations.
CATALYTIC SYSTEMS USED FOR POLYOLEFINS PRODUCTION
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Duration : 0.5 Day
Review of the various types of catalytic systems for polyolefins.
Mass and heat transfer in the heterophasic polymerization of polyolefins.
Multigrain model of the growing particles and variations around this model.
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLYMERIZATION - MAIN POLYETHYLENE & POLYPROPYLENE PROCESSES
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Duration : 1 Day
Techniques implemented in polymers production: solution, bulk, emulsion, suspension or slurry, gas phase.
Advantages and drawbacks of these techniques, consequences for process implementation.
Main processes involved in production of polyethylene and polypropylene. Basic schemes and average operating conditions. Influence of operating parameters (temperature, pressure, reactants proportion) on product quality.
POLYETHYLENES - POLYPROPYLENES & OTHER COMMODITY POLYMERS
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Duration : 2.5 Days
General presentation of high pressure and low pressure polyethylene processes, with the various types of polymers grades they can produce. Low, medium, high, ultra-low density...; narrow, broad molecular weight distribution; low, high melt indexes...
Main applications per family of grades.
High pressure processes. Heat transfer in reactors and conversion rate. Comparison of autoclave, tubular mono-injection, tubular multiple injection reactors; consequences on product quality. Specific equipment technology used in HPPE (hypercompressors, letdown valve...).
Safety risks associated with ethylene decomposition.
Main low pressure catalytic processes. Main characteristics of catalyst and reactor types. Which market do they serve? Announced developments.
Various polymerization processes available for polypropylene production (gas phase, loop, liquid pool...). Staged polymerization for broad molecular weight distribution and impact copolymers. New development with single reactor double reaction zone.
Main safety issues. Catalyst killing system in case of emergency.
POLYSTYRENE PROCESSES
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Duration : 0.5 Day
Main design and operation characteristics.
How to treat run-away in case of thermal initiation.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will be able to implement the following skills:
Understand the global technical and economical structure of commodity polymers, by far the biggest outlet of petrochemistry,
Master the link between product slate and process selection in function of company marketing strategy,
Know the main industrial commodity polymers processes available for licensing, and their main characteristics,
Be aware of the main industrial safety and operational problems.
Ways & Means
Applications and case studies treated in small groups, based on typical situations encountered in the normal or unsettled operation of these units.
Learning assessment
Quiz.
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Coordinator :IFP Training instructors, with expertise in the field and trained in modern teaching methods adapted to the specific needs of learners from the professional world.
To French entities : IFP Training is referenced to DataDock ; you may contact your OPCO about potential funding.
Please contact our disabled persons referent to check the accessibility of this training program : referent.handicap@ifptraining.com
IFPT Account
