Apparatus and Process for High Pressure Polymerization of Ethylene
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorsPaul J. Clymans, Henri A. Lammens, Phillip H. Comelissen
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Abstract
Disclosed are an apparatus and a process for polymerizing ethylene under high pressure providing more than one injection point for one initiator injection pump.
Claims22
An apparatus for high pressure polymerization of ethylene, comprising a high pressure reactor in which monomer is polymerized to form a product mixture comprising polymer and unreacted monomer, wherein the reactor is provided with more than one reaction zone and at least one injection pump in fluid connection with the reactor, wherein each injection pump fluidly connects to the reactor at more than one injection point.
A process for high pressure polymerization of ethylene, comprising the steps of:
- compressing monomer in a primary compressor to an intermediate pressure and then mixing the monomer with recycled monomer and further compressing the monomer in a secondary compressor to the pressure of the reactor upstream of the reactor;
- introducing the monomer into a high pressure reactor provided with more than one reaction zone;
- injecting an initiator into the reactor at more than one injection point by at least one injection pump, wherein each injection pump conducts injection at more than one injection point;
- contacting the monomer in the reactor with the initiator under high pressure polymerization conditions for polymerization to form a product mixture;
- releasing the product mixture through a high pressure let down valve, cooling the product mixture and separating the product mixture in a separation system having at least two stages into polymer and unreacted monomer;
- and
- recycling the unreacted monomer to the secondary compressor.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.