# US 10,308,729 B2 · Reactor systems and processes related thereto

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- Number: US 10,308,729 B2
- Document ID: US10308729B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/566,179
- Filed: 2016-04-05
- Published: 2018-04-05
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-08
- Assignees: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
- Applicants: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
- Inventors: Paul J. Clymans
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308729B2

## CPC

- C08F 2/01: characterised by special features of the polymerisation apparatus used
- B01D 5/0039: {Recuperation of heat, e.g. use of heat pump(s), compression}
- B01J 19/24: Stationary reactors without moving elements inside (B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02)
- C08F 2/34: Polymerisation in gaseous state
- C08F 10/02: Ethene
- C08J 11/02: of solvents, plasticisers or unreacted monomers
- B01J 2219/00006: Large-scale industrial plants
- B01J 2219/00031: Semi-batch or fed-batch processes
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)

## Abstract

A process for separating components of a reactor off gas is provided. A related reactor system is also provided. The reactor system may include a high pressure tubular reactor and/or an autoclave reactor and may be used for the production polyolefin polymers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for separating components of a reactor off gas comprising:
1) passing a reactor off gas from a polymerization process through one or more product separators to produce a gas phase (a) and a liquid phase (b);
2) cooling the gas phase (a) to produce a cooled gas phase (a) and passing the cooled gas phase (a) to a first gas/liquid separator to produce a first gas phase and a first liquid phase;
3) compressing the first gas phase to produce a compressed first gas phase and cooling the compressed first gas phase to produce a cooled first gas phase and passing the cooled first gas phase to a second gas/liquid separator to produce a second gas phase and a second liquid phase;
4) compressing the second gas phase to produce a compressed second gas phase and cooling the compressed second gas phase to produce a cooled second gas phase and passing the cooled second gas phase to a third gas/liquid separator to produce a third gas phase and a third liquid phase;
5) compressing the third gas phase to produce a compressed third gas phase and cooling the compressed third gas phase to produce a cooled third gas phase and passing the cooled third gas phase to a fourth gas/liquid separator to produce a fourth gas phase and a fourth liquid phase; and
6) directing the liquid phase (b) to a recovery stage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the fourth gas phase is recycled to the polymerization process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the fourth liquid phase is recycled to the third gas/liquid separator; the third liquid phase is recycled to the second gas/liquid separator; and the second liquid phase is recycled to the first gas/liquid separator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The process of claim 3, wherein the first liquid phase is recycled to the polymerization process, directed to a recovery stage, a purification stage, a storage unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4, wherein the first liquid phase is recycled to the polymerization process.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the fourth liquid phase is recycled to the third gas/liquid separator; the third liquid phase is recycled to the polymerization process and/or directed to a recovery stage; the second liquid phase is recycled to the first gas/liquid separator; and the first liquid phase is directed to a recovery stage, a purification stage, a storage unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6, wherein the first liquid phase is directed to a purification stage.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the fourth liquid phase is recycled to the third gas/liquid separator, the third liquid phase is recycled to the second gas/liquid separator, and the second liquid phase is recycled to the polymerization process, directed to a recovery stage, a purification stage, storage unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the first liquid phase is directed to a fuel system and/or storage unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional steps of compressing the gas phase of any one of steps 2)-5) to produce a compressed additional gas phase and cooling the compressed additional gas phase to produce a cooled additional gas phase and passing the cooled additional gas phase to at least one additional gas/liquid separator to produce an added gas phase and an added liquid phase.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10, wherein the added gas phase is directed to any one of steps 2)-5).

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10, wherein the added liquid phase is directed to a line or location of at least one of the first liquid phase, the second liquid phase, the third liquid phase, and the fourth liquid phase, or, line, inlet, or location of at least one of the first gas/liquid separator, the second gas/liquid separator, the third gas/liquid separator, and the fourth gas/liquid separator.

### Claim 13

A reaction system comprising:
1) one or more compressors in fluid connection with
2) one or more reactors in fluid connection with
3) one or more product separators in fluid connection with
4) a plurality of gas/liquid separators fluidly connected in series, wherein at least one of the product separators comprises an off gas, and the off gas is in fluid connection with at least one of the gas/liquid separators and wherein the plurality of gas/liquid separators are represented by Ni, Nx, Ny, and Nf, and wherein:
Ni is the initial gas/liquid separator;
Nx is one or more first middle gas/liquid separators, wherein x is a number from 1-97;
Ny is one or more second middle gas/liquid separators, wherein y=t−(x+2);
Nf is the final gas/liquid separator;
t is the total number of separators in the series and is a number from 4-100; and
the one or more reactors is selected from the group consisting of: tubular reactors, autoclave reactors, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein x is 1-5.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13, 14)

The reaction system of claim 13 or 14, wherein t is 4-10.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Nf separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Ny separator, the Ny separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Nx separator, and the Nx separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Ni separator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Ni separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to a polymerization process zone.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Nf separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Ny separator, the Ny separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to a polymerization process zone or a recovery zone, the Nx separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Ni separator, and the Ni separator comprise a liquid phase line directed to a purification zone.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Nf separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Ny separator, the Ny separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to the Nx separator, and the Nx separator comprises a liquid phase line directed to a recovery zone.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The reaction system of claim 19, wherein the Ni separator comprises a liquid phase line and is directed to a storage unit or fuel system.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Ni, Nx, and Ny separators each comprise a gas phase line in fluid connection with at least one cylinder of a compressor and one or more heat exchangers and each gas phase line is fluidly connected in series to the separators.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the Nf separator comprises a gas phase line directed to a polymerization process zone.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The reaction system of claim 13, wherein the one or more reactors comprises a tubular reactor.