Process for producing an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate

A process for producing an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing said aqueous polyacrylamide gel with an aqueous liquid, characterized in that the process comprises at least the following steps:

• [1] radically polymerizing an aqueous monomer solution in the presence of suitable initiators for radical polymerization under adiabatic conditions in a polymerization unit at a location A, wherein the aqueous monomer solution comprises at least water and 15% to 50% by weight-relating to the total of all components of the aqueous monomer solution-of water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers at a location A, wherein said water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers comprise at least acrylamide, wherein the polymerization unit comprises a cylindrical upper part, a conical part at its lower end, feeds for the aqueous monomer solution and a bottom opening, thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel which is hold in the polymerization unit,
• [2] removing the aqueous polyacrylamide gel from the polymerization unit through the bottom opening by means of gas pressure at the location A,
• [3] comminuting the aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing it with an aqueous liquid at the location A, thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate having a concentration of 1.0 to 14.9% by weight of polyacrylamides, relating to the total of all components of the aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate,
• [4] transporting the aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate in a transport unit having a volume form 1 m3 to 40 m3 by transport means selected from the group of trucks, railcars or ships from location A to a different location B, and
• [5] removing the aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate from the transport unit at the location B.

A process for producing an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing said aqueous polyacrylamide gel with an aqueous liquid, characterized in that the process comprises at least the following steps:

• [1] radically polymerizing an aqueous monomer solution in the presence of suitable initiators for radical polymerization under adiabatic conditions in a polymerization unit at a location A, wherein the aqueous monomer solution comprises at least water and 15% to 50% by weight-relating to the total of all components of the aqueous monomer solution-of water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, wherein said water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers comprise at least acrylamide, wherein the polymerization unit comprises a cylindrical upper part, a conical part at its lower end, feeds for the aqueous monomer solution and a bottom opening, thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel which is hold in the polymerization unit,
• [2] removing the aqueous polyacrylamide gel from the polymerization unit through the bottom opening by means of gas pressure,
• [3] conveying the aqueous polyacrylamide gel through at least one comminution unit together with an aqueous liquid thereby yielding a mixture of pieces of aqueous polyacrylamide gel in an aqueous polyacrylamide solution followed by homogenization of the mixture obtained by transferring the mixture to a vessel and
• allowing the mixture to stand in the vessel, or
• mixing the contents of the vessel by suitable mixing means, thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate having a concentration of 3.1 to 14.9% by weight of polyacrylamides, relating to the total of all components of the aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate.

A modular, relocatable plant for manufacturing aqueous polyacrylamide concentrates by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing said aqueous polyacrylamide gel with an aqueous liquid, comprising at least

• at a location A
• a relocatable storage unit for an aqueous acrylamide solution,
• optionally relocatable storage units for water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers different from acrylamide,
• a relocatable storage unit for polymerization initiators,
• a relocatable monomer make-up unit for preparing an aqueous monomer solution comprising at least water and acrylamide,
• a relocatable polymerization unit for polymerizing the aqueous monomer solution in the presence of polymerization initiators,
• a relocatable unit for comminution of the aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing it with an aqueous liquid thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate,
• at locations A or B
• a transport unit for transporting an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate from location A to location B,
• at a location B
• means for removing the aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate from the transport unit.

A modular, relocatable plant for manufacturing aqueous polyacrylamide concentrates by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing said aqueous polyacrylamide gel with an aqueous liquid, comprising at least

• a relocatable storage unit for an aqueous acrylamide solution,
• optionally relocatable storage units for water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers different from acrylamide,
• a relocatable storage unit for polymerization initiators,
• a relocatable monomer make-up unit for preparing an aqueous monomer solution comprising at least water and acrylamide,
• a relocatable polymerization unit for polymerizing the aqueous monomer solution in the presence of polymerization initiators,
• a relocatable unit for comminution of the aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing it with an aqueous liquid thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate.