Apparatus and method both relating to polymer synthesis

A lactide production apparatus for continuously or intermittently producing lactide, comprising:

• a depolymerization device for subjecting lactic acid oligomers to a depolymerization reaction;
• a catalyst regeneration device, which has a reaction vessel having an evaporation area per unit volume of solution larger than that of the reaction vessel of the depolymerization device and is for subjecting a residue in the depolymerization device to a depolymerization reaction in order to reduce the molecular weights of lactic acid oligomers contained in the residue;
• and
• a distillation column for condensing lactide generated in a gas form as a result of the depolymerization reaction.

A method for continuously or intermittently producing lactide by depolymerizing lactic acid oligomers, comprising the steps of:

• a) subjecting lactic acid oligomers to a depolymerization reaction for synthesizing lactide in a depolymerization device;
• b) subjecting a residue in the depolymerization device to a depolymerization reaction in a reaction vessel having an evaporation area per unit volume of solution larger than that of the reaction vessel of the depolymerization device and synthesizing lactide from lactic acid oligomer contained in the residue;
• and
• c) recovering lactide generated in a gas form as a result of the depolymerization reaction via condensation.