Fluidized multistaged reaction system for polymerization
AssigneeProcedyne Corp.
InventorsH. Kenneth Staffin, David S. Bruce
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a novel horizontal fluid bed reactor, which in a single unit, provides for the polymerization of monomer to polymer and mixed monomers to copolymers. Within one reactor shell the reactor contains a plurality of polymerization stages which permit the achievement of narrow residence time distribution of the produced polymer. This arrangement also creates a sufficiently tight subdivision of the reactor volume which permits a plurality of gas circulation stages of different gas compositions, as well as, polymerization temperatures.
Claims17
A process for the continuous gas phase fluidized bed polymerization for the production of polymeric materials from monomers comprised of the steps of adding a suitable catalyst to a fluidized bed reactor, continuously passing a gaseous stream through a fluidized bed reactor containing the catalyst in order to raise the internal pressure in the vessel to above atmospheric pressure, maintaining conditions within the reactor to facilitate polymerization, thereby forming a polymeric solid material, passing the polymeric solid material through a plurality of gas recycle zones within said reactor, each zone comprised of a baffle maze formed by a plurality of baffles, each zone present within a single horizontal reactor shell;
- the plurality of gas recycle zones being formed by subdivision of the reactor by zone dividing walls each having a slotted opening for the transport of the polymeric solid between the gas recycle zones;
- said baffle maze in each zone being installed so that the polymeric solid material flow in a path which approximates plug flow as the number of baffles increases;
- further maintaining said conditions so that polyermic solid material is maintained in a fluidized state with no mechanical means throughout the length of the reactor, and removing said polymeric solid material from the reactor, and removing said gaseous stream from said reactor.
A process for the continuous gas phase fluidized bed polymerization of polymers wherein the polymerized material produced in accordance with the process exhibits a plug flow profile through the reactor by virtue of a relatively narrow residence time distribution within the reactor, the process being comprised of the steps of:
- a) selecting a multistaged fluidized bed reactor comprised of at least one zone dividing wall which divides the reactor into a plurality of zones, the zone dividing walls having at least one opening for permitting a polymeric material to pass from one zone to a subsequent zone;
- each zone being further subdivided by a plurality of baffles, each baffle possessing an aperture for permitting the polymeric material to flow through the subdivided areas of the zones, the apertures on adjacent baffles being selectively located so as to create a maze like path through which the polymeric material can flow;
- the number of said baffles being selected to create a narrow residence time distribution of polymeric material and approximation of plug flow of said material within the reactor;
- gas inlet means separate and individual to each zone for introducing a gaseous monomer material into each zone, gaseous outlet means separate and individual to each zone, gas recycling means separate and individual to each zone;
- the gaseous recycling means being in communication with the gaseous outlet means, gaseous supply means separate and individual to each zone, said gaseous supply means being in communication with gaseous recycling means and being in communication with said gaseous inlet means, an inlet means for introducing a catalyst material into the reactor vessel, and an outlet means for removing polymeric material;
- b) introducing into the reactor vessel a catalyst material capable of initiating a polymeric reaction;
- c) separately introducing into each zone of the vessel a gaseous monomer component, said monomer component being capable of polymerizing in the presence of the catalyst material;
- d) selecting process conditions capable of polymerizing the gaseous monomer, capable of maintaining the bed in a fluidized state, capable of facilitating the flow of polymerized material through the maze like arrangement created by the baffles and capable of facilitating the flow of polymerized material from one zone to a subsequent zone;
- e) separately recycling the gaseous monomer components for each zone;
- and
- f) removing the polymeric material from the outlet of the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.