# US 2001/0022951 A1 · Closed loop continuous polymerisation reactor and polymerisation process

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- Number: US 2001/0022951 A1
- Document ID: US20010022951A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 09/778,192
- Filed: 2001-02-07
- Published: 2001-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1998-08-07
- Assignees: Akzo Nobel N.V.
- Inventors: David Charles Adams; Howard Jones; Kenneth Raymond Geddes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20010022951A1

## CPC

- B01J 19/2435: {Loop-type reactors}
- B08B 9/055: the cleaning devices conforming to, or being conformable to, substantially the same cross-section of the pipes, {e.g. pigs or moles (pigs or moles per se F16L55/26; their launching and detection F16L55/46; separating pigs in pipelines F17D3/00)}
- B01J 2219/00247: Fouling of the reactor or the process equipment
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A closed loop continuous emulsion polymerization apparatus at least comprising a circulation pump, a reactor tube which connects the outlet of the circulation pump to its inlet, at least one feed for supplying raw materials, an outlet, and means for cooling the tube, characterized in that the reactor further comprises an additional tube for by-passing a pig around the circulation pump, a pig receiving station which is in parallel connection with the circulation pump or the reactor tube, and optionally means for directing a pig into the pig receiving station. The invention allows simple removal of the pig from the reactor, afforts great freedom in selecting the type of circulation pump and material and shape of the pig, and enables total control over the launching of the pig substantially independent of the reaction medium flow.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A closed loop continuous emulsion polymerisation apparatus comprising a circulation pump, a reactor tube which connects the outlet of the circulation pump to its inlet, at least one feed for supplying raw materials, an outlet, an additional tube for by-passing a pig around the circulation pump and a pig receiving station which is in parallel connection with the circulation pump or the reactor tube.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pig receiving station is integrated into the additional tube for by-passing the pig around the circulation pump.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circulation pump has a suction side and a delivery side and the reactor tube has an aperture through which it is in fluid communication with the suction side of the circulation pump and continues on to the delivery side of the circulation pump, the part of the tube between the suction and delivery sides of the circulation pump serving as the pig receiving station.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the aperture is a slot extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the reactor tube.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the width of the slot is smaller than the width of the pig.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the width of the slot increases downstream.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The polymerisation apparatus according to any one of claim 1, wherein the reactor comprises means for directing a pig into the pig receiving station.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a substantial part of the reactor tube forms at least one helical coil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The polymerisation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pig detector for checking whether the pig is present in the pig station.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A process for preparing an emulsion polymer comprising supplying monomer and water to the polymerisation apparatus according to claim 1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process according to claim 10, wherein a pig is launched at intervals ranging from 1 to 60 minutes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The process according to claim 10, wherein a pig is launched at intervals ranging from 10 to 20 minutes.