Gas/liquid oligomerization reactor comprising transverse internals

A process for the oligomerization of gaseous ethylene employing a reactor comprising:

• a reaction chamber (1) of elongated shape along the vertical axis;
• a means for introduction of gaseous ethylene (2), located in a lower part of the reaction chamber;
• a means for withdrawal (5) of a liquid fraction, located in the lower part of the reaction chamber;
• a means for introducing a portion of the liquid fraction into a heat exchanger which is in fluid communication with said means for withdrawal (5) of the liquid fraction, and
• a means for removing said portion of the liquid fraction from said heat exchanger and introducing said portion of the liquid fraction into a top part of the reaction chamber (1),
• a means for bleeding off (4) a gaseous fraction, located at a top part of said reaction chamber;
• wherein:
• said chamber (1) comprises two or more transverse internals (11) wherein each transverse internal (11) is positioned over at least a part of a cross section of the reaction chamber (1) so as to increase residence time of gaseous ethylene in a liquid phase;
• each of said internals exhibiting one or more openings (12) with a hydraulic diameter between 21 and 500 mm;
• and
• said one or more openings (12) occupying between 20% and 80% of the total surface area of the cross section of the reaction chamber at which said internal is located, and
• wherein said process comprises:
• introducing a metal catalyst and an activating agent into the reaction chamber,
• bringing said metal catalyst and the activating agent into contact with gaseous ethylene by the introduction of said gaseous ethylene into the lower part of the reaction chamber,
• withdrawing the liquid fraction,
• cooling the withdrawn liquid fraction by passing said liquid fraction through the heat exchanger,
• introducing the cooled withdrawn liquid fraction into a top part of the reaction chamber,
• recycling the gaseous fraction, withdrawn at a gas headspace positioned at an upper part of the top part of the reaction chamber by the means for bleeding off, and introducing the gaseous fraction at the lower part of the reaction chamber, into the liquid phase, and
• wherein said process is carried out at a pressure between 0.1 and 10.0 MPa and at a temperature between 30 and 200° C.