Device and methods to actively control the production of multi-stage polymer production

A device comprising:

• a reaction vessel configured to contain a polymer solution and generate polymer reactions in at least two stages;
• one or more detectors configured to monitor at least one reaction characteristic of the polymer solution contained in the reaction vessel;
• and
• a controller coupled with the reaction vessel and the one or more detectors, the controller configured to actively control the development of a predetermined reaction characteristic by modifying at least one process control variable based on the at least one reaction characteristic monitored by the detector.

A method for producing multimodal polymers in a single reaction vessel, the method comprising:

• generating polymer reactions in at least two stages in a reaction vessel to produce a multimodal polymer;
• monitoring at least one reaction characteristic in at least one stage;
• actively controlling the development of a first mode by modifying at least one process control variable, based on the at least one monitored reaction characteristic, during the production of polymer in at least one of the at least two stages;
• determining a reaction trajectory based on the at least one monitored reaction characteristic, wherein the process control variable is modified based on the reaction trajectory determination in order to follow a first target trajectory;
• determining an optimal cross-over second target trajectory associated with the changeover of a continuous reactor from the development of a first mode to a second mode;
• and
• actively controlling the development of a second mode by modifying at least one process control variable, wherein the process control variable is modified based on the second target trajectory.