# US 10,870,720 B2 · Polyolefin production with chromium-based catalysts

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- Number: US 10,870,720 B2
- Document ID: US10870720B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/577,088
- Filed: 2019-09-20
- Published: 2020-01-09
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-02
- Assignees: Univation Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Univation Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: John H. Moorhouse; Kevin J. Cann; Mark G. Goode; Kevin R. Gross
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870720B2

## CPC

- C08F 210/16: Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
- B01J 4/002: {Nozzle-type elements (nozzle-type reactors B01J19/26)}
- B01J 19/18: Stationary reactors having moving elements inside (B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence)
- B01J 2204/002: the feeding side being of particular interest
- B01J 2219/00063: of the reactants
- B01J 2219/00094: Jackets
- B01J 2219/00168: controlling the viscosity
- B01J 2219/00189: controlling the stirring velocity
- C08F 2410/06: Catalyst characterized by its size
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

A system and method for charging a chromium-based catalyst to a mix vessel; introducing a reducing agent through an entrance arrangement into the mix vessel, and agitating a mixture of the chromium-based catalyst, the reducing agent, and a solvent in the mix vessel to promote contact of the reducing agent with the chromium-based catalyst to give a reduced chromium-based catalyst.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reducing system for chromium-based catalyst, comprising:
a catalyst feed system to provide a chromium-based catalyst to a mix vessel;
a reducing agent supply system to provide a reducing agent to the mix vessel; and
the mix vessel to hold a mixture comprising the chromium-based catalyst, the reducing agent, and a solvent to produce a reduced chromium-based catalyst for use in the polymerization of an olefin into a polyolefin, wherein the mix vessel comprises an agitator to agitate the mixture, and further comprises an entrance arrangement for the reducing agent, the entrance arrangement having a conduit extension to receive and direct the reducing agent into the mix vessel; and
a control system to facilitate adjusting flow rate of the reducing agent to the entrance arrangement to give a desired flow index response of the reduced chromium-based catalyst, and wherein the control system facilitates adjusting a drying line-out temperature of the reduced chromium based catalyst in the mix vessel to give a desired flow index response of the reduced chromium-based catalyst.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit extension extends into an interior of the mix vessel and directs the reducing agent to a vapor space of the mix vessel away from an inside surface of the mix vessel toward a top surface of the mixture level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit extension directs the reducing agent toward a location of a surface of the mixture level that is 20% to 80% of a perpendicular distance from a vertical centerline of the mix vessel to an inside surface of a vertical wall of the mix vessel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a vertical centerline of the agitator is substantially the same as a vertical centerline of the mix vessel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit extension comprises a nozzle insert through a nozzle of the mix vessel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising:
a flow control valve to modulate the flow rate of the reducing agent to the entrance arrangement of the mix vessel;
a variable drive to modulate an agitation rate of the mixture by the agitator, wherein the agitation rate comprises revolutions per unit of time of a shaft of the agitator; and
a heat transfer system to provide a heat transfer medium to a jacket of the mix vessel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising a control system to facilitate adjusting agitation rate in revolutions per time of the agitator to give a desired flow index response of the reduced chromium-based catalyst.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the chromium-based catalyst comprises an inorganic support comprising a surface area of 50 to 1000 square meters per gram and an average particle size of 20 to 300 micrometers.