High Speed and Direct Driven Rotating Equipment for Polyolefin Manufacturing

A method for polyolefin production, comprising:

• directing a polyolefin through a continuous mixer to provide a molten polymer, the continuous mixer comprising:
• a first housing having two or more non-intermeshing screws contained therein;
• and
• a motor directly coupled to the two or more screws and adapted to counter-rotate the two or more screws at a rate of about 600 rpm or more;
• adding one or more additives to the molten polymer within the first housing;
• mixing the molten polymer and the one or more additives to provide a mixed polymer comprising the one or more additives at least partially dispersed therein;
• directing the mixed polymer to a gear pump comprising:
• a second housing having two or more gears contained therein;
• and
• a motor directly coupled to at least one of the two or more gears and adapted to rotate the two or more gears at a rate of about 10 rpm to about 1200 rpm;
• and
• pressurizing the mixed polymer within;
• the gear pump to transfer the mixed polymer for further processing.

A method for polyolefin production, comprising:

• providing polyolefin particles to a continuous mixer, the mixer comprising a housing having two or more non-intermeshing rotatable members contained therein, each rotatable member having a shaft coupled thereto, and a motor having a drive shaft directly coupled to the shaft of at least one of the two or more rotatable members;
• counter-rotating the two or more rotatable members at a speed of the motor drive shaft without gear reduction;
• melting the polymer particles within the housing to provide a polymer melt;
• and
• advancing the polymer melt through the housing.