Grant: Alliance Grants

This proposal describes the plan for the investigation of sources that could potentially contribute to the static charging in gas-phase polyethylene commercial reactors and develops static mitigation techniques. Electrostatics causes significant operational challenges in commercial gas-phase polyethylene reactors, namely reactor wall fouling (known as sheeting). Highly charged polyethylene and catalyst particles could results in formation of undesired polymer sheets on the reactor wall, leading to frequent process shut downs for reactor clean up, loss of production; and thus, significant economic loss (nearly $2.0 per day). Polyethylene is used substantially in our daily lives including packaging, adhesives, toys, building and construction (e.g., wires/cables), etc. The proposed project will enable the objective of determining the role of catalyst and its surface chemistry on the extend of static charge generation in PE gas-phase process. In addition, the project proposes a static charging mitigation technique. This partnership is with Dow Chemical Canada, Dow Chemical Company and Univation Technologies, LLC.