Production method of alpha-olefin low polymer and production apparatus

A method for oligomerizing at least one α-olefin and concurrently spraying atomized droplets in a heat exchanger that is operatively coupled with the oligomerizing, the method comprising:

• oligomerizing the α-olefin in an oligomerization reactor in the presence of a catalyst to produce at least one α-olefin oligomer, wherein the reactor comprises a gas phase and a liquid phase;
• withdrawing a portion of the gas from the gas phase of the oligomerization reactor;
• introducing the withdrawn gas through a gas supply nozzle into the heat exchanger, wherein the introduced gas has a density of 20 kg/m3 or more, and the gas flow rate of the introduced gas from the gas supply port is 1 m/s or more;
• cooling the introduced gas in the heat exchanger to obtain a condensed liquid;
• recycling a portion of the condensed liquid into the reactor;
• and
• supplying into the heat exchanger atomized droplets of a portion of the condensed liquid, of a liquefied α-olefin, and/or of a circulation solvent from the bottom of a downstream separation column,
• wherein:
• i) the heat exchanger comprises:
• a cylindrical shell;
• an upper tube plate and a lower tube plate disposed on an upper end side and a lower end side of the shell, respectively;
• a plurality of tubes installed between the upper tube plate and the lower tube plate;
• a top cover disposed on the upper side of the upper tube plate wherein the gas supply nozzle is provided in the top cover;
• a bottom cover disposed on the lower side of the lower tube plate;
• and
• a takeout port provided in the bottom of the bottom cover for removing the condensed liquid;
• ii) the heat exchanger comprises jet nozzles for supplying the atomized droplets between the gas supply port and the upper tube plate;
• iii) five or more jet nozzles are provided per 1.00 m2 of a surface area of the upper tube plate;
• and
• iv) the jet nozzles include at least one nozzle that is inclined toward the gas supply nozzle from the horizontal direction.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an oligomerization reactor in which a catalyst and at least one α-olefin are supplied to oligomerize the α-olefin wherein the oligomerization reactor comprises a gas phase and a liquid phase;
• a piping connected to the gas phase of the reactor on one end;
• a shell and tube heat exchanger comprising a gas supply nozzle that is connected to the other end of the piping wherein a gas withdrawn from the gas phase from the reactor is cooled in the shell and tube heat exchanger to obtain a condensed liquid;
• and
• a takeout port piping connecting the heat exchanger and the reactor for recycling of the condensed liquid into the oligomerization reactor,
• wherein:
• i) the heat exchanger further comprises:
• a cylindrical shell;
• an upper tube plate and a lower tube plate disposed on an upper end side and a lower end side of the shell, respectively;
• a plurality of tubes installed between the upper tube plate and the lower tube plate;
• a top cover disposed on the upper side of the upper tube plate wherein the gas supply nozzle is provided in the top cover;
• and
• a bottom cover disposed on the lower side of the lower tube plate wherein the takeout port is provided in the bottom of the bottom cover;
• ii) the gas supply nozzle is adapted to function such that the gas is introduced into the heat exchanger at a density of 20 kg/m3 or more and at a gas flow rate of 1 m/s or more;
• iii) the top cover further comprises jet nozzles for supplying atomized droplets onto the surface of the upper tube plate;
• iv) five or more of the jet nozzles are provided per 1.00 m2 of an area of the upper tube plate;
• and
• v) the jet nozzles include at least one nozzle that is inclined toward the gas supply nozzle from the horizontal direction.