Successful piloting of new technologies involves much more than simply building a scaled down version of a commercial plant. The approach to new technology piloting at DuPont involves the integration of process fundamentals, process modeling and commercial scale considerations in addition to the design and operation of the actual pilot plant facility.

A recent example of a novel approach to resolving a technical challenge in piloting is provided. In this example, polymer accumulation due to low flow rates and cold spots made demonstration of a pilot scale tubular reactor very difficult. A novel approach was developed by DuPont and Coanda Research and Development whereby a CSTR with internal recirculation and an internal draft tube was used to simulate a short length of a larger scale tubular reactor to demonstrate operating conditions under which polymer accumulation would occur. The fluid modeling techniques used to develop this novel reactor design and the results of pilot testing are presented.