Polymerization using a spiral heat exchanger
AssigneeExxonMobil Engineering & Technology Company
InventorsJay L. Reimers, Kevin W. Lawson, Peijun Jiang, Gabor Kiss
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Abstract
This invention relates to a polymerization process for forming polymer comprising: contacting (typically in a solution or slurry phase), a monomer and a catalyst system in a reaction zone comprising at least one spiral heat exchanger and recovering polymer, wherein the monomer, the catalyst system and the polymer flow through the at least one spiral heat exchanger in a cross-flow direction relative to spirals of the at least one spiral heat exchanger.
Claims15
A polymerization process for forming polymer comprising:
- contacting a monomer and a catalyst system in a reaction zone, and recovering polymer,
- wherein the reaction zone comprises a recycle pump and a heat exchanger,
- wherein a pressure drop across the heat exchanger is less than or equal to about 10 psi.
A polymerization system, comprising:
- a reactor comprising:
- a shell;
- a reactor inlet coupled to the shell;
- a reactor outlet coupled to the shell, wherein the reactor outlet is in fluid communication with the reactor inlet;
- and
- a spiral heat exchanger inside the shell in fluid communication with and positioned between the reactor inlet and the reactor outlet, wherein the spiral heat exchanger has a heat exchanger inlet and a heat exchanger outlet;
- and
- a recycle pump in fluid communication with the reactor inlet and the reactor outlet, wherein the recycle pump is positioned to enable at least a portion of a polymerization stream exiting the heat exchanger outlet to be recycled back to the heat exchanger inlet.
A polymerization system, comprising:
- a reaction zone configured to contact a monomer and a catalyst system to recover a polymer, wherein the reaction zone comprises:
- a heat exchanger, wherein a pressure drop across the heat exchanger is less than or equal to about 10 psi;
- and
- a recycle pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.