Device for the Detection of Incipient Sheeting in a Gas Phase Reactor
OwnerMichael G. TRIBOinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for detecting incipient sheeting in a polyolefin gas phase reactor. The method can include flowing one or more monomer gases through a first tubular protruding through a reactor wall, flowing one or more monomer gases through a second tubular protruding through the reactor wall, wherein the first tubular is located within the second tubular, and measuring a pressure differential of the monomer gases flowing through the first and second tubulars. Based on the measured pressure differential, incipient sheeting within the reactor can be detected and one or more redial measures can be employed to control or reverse the sheeting.
Claims24
A method for detecting incipient sheeting in a polyolefin gas phase reactor, comprising:
- flowing one or more fluids through a first tubular protruding through a reactor wall in a substantially horizontal orientation at a first elevation above a distribution plate within the reactor, wherein the first tubular has an inner diameter of less than or equal to 0.5 inches;
- measuring a pressure differential, a flow rate, or both of the fluid flowing through the first tubular;
- detecting a decrease in the measured pressure differential, flow rate, or both, of the fluid;
- and
- based at least in part upon the detected decrease in the measured pressure differential, flow rate, or both, taking one or more remedial measures to control or reverse sheeting in the reactor.
A method for olefin polymerization within a gas phase reactor, comprising:
- injecting a catalyst mixture into the gas phase reactor through one or more catalyst injectors that each protrude substantially horizontally through a wall of the reactor at a first elevation within the reactor above a distributor plate within the reactor, wherein each catalyst injector comprises a first tubular disposed within a second tubular having inner diameter greater than the first tubular's outer diameter, forming an annulus therebetween, wherein the catalyst mixture flows through the first tubular and an additional fluid flows through the second tubular, and further wherein the catalyst mixture comprises a plurality of solid catalyst particles and a carrier fluid;
- introducing one or more monomer gases into the reactor;
- polymerizing the one or more monomer gases in the presence of the catalyst particles within the reactor to form solid polymer particles;
- measuring a pressure differential and/or flow rate along the first tubular and/or along the second tubular;
- and
- based at least in part upon a detected decrease in the measured pressure differential and/or flow rate, taking one or more remedial measures to control or reverse sheeting in the reactor,
A method for retrofitting a gas phase polymerization reactor using slurry injection, the method comprising:
- adding one or more devices for injecting one or more fluids into the reactor, each device comprising at least one flow path therethrough and one or more instruments for measuring bursts of pressure change along the flow path, wherein the one or more devices are located below catalyst injection nozzles for slurry injection and above a distribution plate within the reactor;
- flowing a fluid through each of the one or more added devices;
- detecting intermittent pressure drops through each device in order to detect sheet formation within the reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.