US 12,723,107 B2 · Polymerization process and arrangement

Abstract

A continuous polymerization process includes combining a first hydrocarbon stream with hydrocarbons recycled from at least one downstream process step to a first combined hydrocarbon stream; continuously polymerizing a first olefin monomer and a first comonomer in the presence of a first polymerization catalyst in a solvent to produce a first solution; withdrawing a first exhaust stream of the first solution; separating the first exhaust stream to a first primary hydrocarbon stream and a first concentrated solution stream; recycling the first primary hydrocarbon stream; separating the first concentrated solution stream to a first secondary hydrocarbon stream and a first polymer product stream; recycling the first secondary hydrocarbon stream; and repeating the combining, continuously polymerizing, withdrawing, separating, recycling, separating, and recycling for a second solution.

A continuous polymerization process, comprising

providing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising first olefin monomer, first comonomer and solvent in a first providing step, wherein solvent is obtained from a solvent source;
combining the first hydrocarbon stream with hydrocarbons recycled from at least one downstream process step to a first combined hydrocarbon stream in a first combining step;
continuously polymerizing the first olefin monomer and the first comonomer in the presence of a first polymerization catalyst in a first polymerization step in the solvent to produce a first solution comprising a first polymer of the first olefin monomer and the first comonomer;
withdrawing a first exhaust stream of the first solution in a first withdrawing step;
separating the first exhaust stream to a first primary hydrocarbon stream and a first concentrated solution stream in a first primary separation step;
recycling the first primary hydrocarbon stream to the first combining step in a first primary recycling step;
separating the first concentrated solution stream to a first secondary hydrocarbon stream and a first polymer product stream in a first secondary separation step;
recycling the first secondary hydrocarbon stream to the first combining step in a first secondary recycling step;
providing a second hydrocarbon stream comprising second olefin monomer, second comonomer and solvent in a second providing step, wherein solvent is obtained from the solvent source;
combining the second hydrocarbon stream with hydrocarbons recycled from at least one downstream process step to a second combined hydrocarbon stream in a second combining step;
continuously polymerizing the second olefin monomer and the second comonomer in the presence of a second polymerization catalyst in a second polymerization step in the solvent to produce a second solution comprising a second polymer of the second olefin monomer and the second comonomer;
withdrawing a second exhaust stream of the second solution in a second withdrawing step;
separating the second exhaust stream to a second primary hydrocarbon stream and a second concentrated solution stream in a second primary separation step;
recycling the second primary hydrocarbon stream to the second combining step in a second primary recycling step;
separating the second concentrated solution stream to a second secondary hydrocarbon stream and a second polymer product stream in a second secondary separation step;
and
recycling the second secondary hydrocarbon stream to the second combining step in a second secondary recycling step,
wherein
the first providing step and the second providing step are performed in parallel;
the first combining step and the second combining step are performed in parallel;
the first polymerization step and the second polymerization step are performed in parallel;
the first withdrawing step and the second withdrawing step are performed in parallel;
the first primary separation step and the second primary separation step are performed in parallel;
the first primary recycling step and the second primary recycling step are performed in parallel;
the first secondary separation step and the second secondary separation step are performed in parallel;
and
the first secondary recycling step and the second secondary recycling step are performed in parallel.

24 more elements

Polymerization process and arrangement

Life of this patent

Polymerization process and arrangement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17